Dashi 出汁(だし) is a soup stock that is commonly used in Japanese cooking to enhance and add depth to the flavor of food. It is almost the equivalent to chicken broth and bouillon in Chinese cuisine and beef broth in Western dishes!

Traditionally, Japanese families make their own blend of dashi from scratch. Nowadays, dashi are made into power form for easier and faster cooking.

There are several types of dashi. To name a few that are most common:

• Katsuo-Dashi たつおだし: Made from Katsuobushi 鰹節 (bonito flakes: shavings of dried smoked skipjack tuna).

• Kombu-Dashi 昆布だし: Made from dried kelp (seaweed)

• Niboshi-Dashi 煮干しだし: Made from small dried sardines

• Shiitake-Dashi 椎茸だし: Made from dried shiitake mushrooms