Kombu dashi is the second most common type of dashi. Kombu is a type of sea kelp (rumored to be good for growing strong glossy hair) and is a great alternative to bonito dashi for vegans/vegetarians. A bit like coffee, there’s both a “cold brew” and “hot brew” method to produce this dashi.
Ingredients
Method
- Weigh out 5-10 grams of dried kombu
- Make cuts along the kelp to help with steeping
Cold Brew
- Put the perforated kombu in a container with the 2c of water
- Let the dashi steep for 2-5 hours. 2-3 hours should be enough if your kitchen is warm. Steep for 3-5 hours if your kitchen is cold
Hot Brew
- Put the kombu and water in a small pot
- Slowly heat the water over medium-low heat until it almost comes to a boil
- As the water heats, skim any skum that may come up
- Remove the kombu from the pot right before the water comes to a boil
Note:
- 5g of kombu should be enough, but if you want a stronger flavor, you can opt to use up to 10g kombu
- I recommend using the dashi as soon as it’s made, but you can keep it for up to 3-4 days in the fridge
