Japanese Food Guides

Dashi Culture and Umami in Japan Dashi is at the heart of Japanese cuisine. Dashi is made by extracting umami flavors from natural ingredients, and has the excellent ability to enhance and harmonize the flavors of other ingredients. It is an indispensable cooking broth in Japanese cuisine! Dashi is not made by simmering ingredients for a long time like bouillon. Carefully selected ingredients are aged over a long period of time, then simply soaked in water or gently heated to extract the true essence of their flavor. Yamasan's Dashi 8 Highly Selected Umami Ingredients 2 Kinds of Dried Bonito Flakes Dried bonito flakes contain inosinic acid, an essential ingredient in Japanese dashi soup stock. We use two types of bonito flakes: one made by boiling and smoking bonito, and Honkarebushi, which is made by further aging the bonito flakes. Rishiri Kelp Dashi made from kelp, which contains glutamic acid, has an elegant aroma and umami flavor. We use Rishiri kelp, the highest grade in Japan, known for its mild aroma and rich umami. Shiitake Mushroom Dried shiitake mushrooms contain guanylic acid. By combining guanylic acid with the glutamic acid from kelp, an even richer umami flavor is created. Dried Flying Fish In Japan, this is a high-class ingredient called Agodashi. Flying fish contains less fat than other fish, allowing for a refined broth with a refreshing sweetness and rich flavor. Dried Round Herring Round herring is low in fat and produces a clean broth without a fishy smell, resulting in a light, delicate flavor. Japanese Tea (Gyokuro and Hojicha) Two types of tea, Gyokuro and Hojicha, are used as a secret ingredient. Theanine, an amino acid found in tea, adds a strong umami flavor, while the aroma of the tea helps remove any unwanted odors, creating a mild and refined broth.