From broths to sauces: Why dashi is a kitchen essential
What's the story
Dashi, the "cornerstone of Japanese cooking," is famous for its flavor-enhancing abilities, adding depth and umami to any dish it touches.
While traditional dashi is fish-based, vegan versions are gaining popularity, harnessing the power of seaweed and mushrooms to create a similar depth of flavor.
This article features five creative ways to use vegan dashi in your kitchen, allowing you to elevate your dishes while keeping them plant-based.
Soup base
Transform soups and stews
Vegan dashi, ideal for soups and stews, imparts a deep umami flavor that complements rather than overshadows main ingredients.
Just simmer kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in water for half an hour to create a savory broth.
Use it as a base for miso soup, vegetable stews, or any recipe calling for vegetable stock.
Rice flavoring
Elevate your rice dishes
Adding vegan dashi to your rice cooking water is a game-changer for flavor.
Whether you're making sushi rice or a simple side of steamed rice, using dashi instead of plain water adds a layer of subtle complexity and richness.
Use approximately one and one-quarter cups of vegan dashi per cup of rice and cook as you normally would.
Noodle enhancement
Boost noodle bowls
Noodle bowls, a staple in many cuisines, get a flavor boost with vegan dashi.
Its savory depth complements both light noodles like soba and hearty ones like ramen.
For the broth, combine one part dashi with two parts water. This ratio provides a balance that won't overpower the noodles' subtle texture and flavor.
Sauce creation
Create flavorful sauces
Vegan dashi isn't limited to soups or broths; it can be reduced to create delicious sauces for drizzling over vegetables or tofu dishes.
Simply simmer the dashi until it reduces by half to concentrate its flavors, then season with soy sauce or mirin to taste.
The result is a flavorful sauce that adds depth to any plant-based dish.
Vegetable seasoning
Enhance steamed vegetables
Steaming vegetables in a little vegan dashi instead of water is a game-changer. It turns them from boring sides into delicious dishes you'll crave.
The steam infuses umami from the dashi into veggies like broccoli, carrots, or bok choy. This enhances their flavor without overpowering their natural tastes.
Just add a bit of vegan dashi to your steaming liquid the next time you're making steamed veggies.