Dashi Vegetable Stock

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cold water
  • 5-inch piece of kombu (kelp) seaweed
  • 3 dried shitake mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp saki
  • 2 tsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 2½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce

Method

  1. Do not wash kombu - with scissors, cut ¾ of the way through in 3 or 4 places
  2. Place water, kombu and shitake mushrooms in saucepan and soak for 3-4 hours - use a plate or weight to keep them submerged
  3. Remove plate/weight and bring slowly to boil - remove kombu just before boiling point
  4. Simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes
  6. Drain through sieve or colander.