Simmered Kombu Dashi (Vegan) is the traditional way to make authentic Japanese kombu dashi that can be used for anything from soups to flavored cooking liquid! Unlike the cold brew kombu dashi, it takes less time to prepare which is perfect for the last minute meal planning!Yield: about 900-920 ml or a little less than 4 cups*Unit is in the metric system by default for more accuracy.
Gently wipe dried kombu with a damp cloth. If the kombu is too wide, cut into an appropriate size to fit the container.
In a medium size pot, combine water and dried kombu. Let it soak for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes of soaking, uncover and cook over medium low to medium heat. Simmer until tiny bubbles appear (a gentle boil.) It's important not to let it fully boiled!
Once the tiny bubbles appear, remove the kombu and it’s ready to use. You can save the kombu to cook other dishes.
Notes
Ingredient ratio
The basic formula that you can use to make perfectly brewed kombu dashi is 100:1 (i.e. 1000 ml water with 10 g kombu.)
The best way to measure the volume is using a scale. It's more accurate for the obvious reasons.
Using the recipe default, 1000 ml (4 1/4 cups) water and 10 g (0.35 oz), comes out perfectly all the time.
If you like more intense kombu taste, use the same amount of water but increase the amount of kombu up to 20 g (0.7 oz.)
Choice of dried kombu
I use ma-kombu for making kombu dashi. You can find one at The Japanese Pantry and Umami Insider.
Other authentic Japanese dried kombu you can use for everyday dashi would be rausu kombu, rishiri kombu or hidaka kombu if available. I typically use ma-kombu which makes sophisticated aroma & clean flavor/color kombu dashi.
Every dried kombu makes different tasting dashi. I recommend you trying a few different options to explore the flavor difference.
How to clean kombu
All you need is to gently wipe the surface of kombu with a damp cloth.
Kombu may have some white powder on the surface which is actually the natural umami element. Wipe carefully.
Leftover kombu
Don't throw away the kombu after simmering! What I do is to slice them into thin strip or small pieces then transfer to a container with a lid. Keep in the freezer until I have a substantial amount to cook with. Then I make sweet & savory kombu which is delicious with Japanese rice.
How to use
You can use simmered kombu dashi as a base for soups like miso soup, noodle broth and more!
How to store
After you make simmered kombu dashi, you may not be using it right away or having some leftovers. If so, let it cool down completely and transfer to a container with a lid and keep in the fridge.
For the best taste, consume within 2-3 days and finish within 5 days.
You can make ahead and store in jar or container and or transfer to an ice cube tray and keep in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
Whichever the way you may choose, it's best to consume as soon as possible for the best taste possible.