Dashi is a basic Asian broth that is generally made with bonito fish flakes and kombu. Replace the bonito with shitake mushrooms to go vegan. Dashi with bonito is one of the main reasons that Japanese food is not vegan. It is very prevalent in Japanese cuisine.
Shitake mushrooms simmer with a small piece of Kombu to impart a delicate flavored broth that is extremely simple to make.
As this is a basic broth, you can use as you would any broth you would normally cook with. The broth keeps up to two weeks, providing it lasts that long.
Begin an Asian vegetable soup with this broth.
Although not considered Japanese, vegan egg drop soup or hot and sour soup are easy to make with this soup base. Kala Namak gives the soup that eggy flavor!
Vegan Dashi mushroom broth
This is a basic dashi broth of shitake mushrooms and kombu. Dried mushrooms and kombu and simply simmered in water ten minutes or longer. Kombu is a dried seaweed. I use Eden brand. It is not difficult to find. The shitake mushrooms impart a delicate flavor but do not soften easily. Both the kombu and mushrooms are removed leaving a lovely clear amber broth.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 4" X 4" piece Kombu (don't rinse)
- 6 Dried shitake mushrooms
- 8 Cups Water
- 4 Green onions Optional
- 1 Tsp Dried wakame seaweed Optional
- 1 TBSP Crushed Garlic Optional
- 1/2 TSP Toasted Sesame Oil Added to individual serving - Optional
- 1/2 TSP Tamari Added to individual serving - Optional
Instructions
- Put 8 cups water into a sauce pan with the shitake mushrooms and kombu. Set saucepan on high heat until the water comes to a boil then reduce to medium heat. See note.
- Clean green onions. Slice diagonally and set aside for garnish.
- The broth can simmer from 10 - 30 minutes. The extra time just imparts more flavor and softens the mushrooms. Five minutes before serving, remove the mushrooms and kombu.
- The broth is ready to serve. The next two instructions are optional. You can add wakame to the broth or cut the discarded mushrooms and kombu into fine pieces and add them back in.
- Use scissors to cut wakame or crush with a can or back of a spoon. Add wakame to the broth when you remove the kombu and mushrooms (next instruction).
- If desired, slice mushrooms in half then thinly slice. Cut kombu into 1" slices then cut thin strips. Add Kombu and mushrooms back to soup.
- Add the garlic to the broth if desired.
- After 5 minutes, the broth is ready to serve. Serve what you wish and store the remainder for another use. Top with green onion onion, sesame oil and tamari if desired. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
This is a Snap Pea Sheep recipe.
Dashi is easy to make. Double the recipe and save half for another meal. The broth is good for several weeks.
