Vegetarian Dashi

Dashi is a soup stock used extensively in Japanese cuisine. Traditionally, the stock is made with bonito (fish flakes); this vegetarian version combines shiitake mushrooms with kelp (dried seaweed or konbu) to impart a similar robust flavor. These two ingredients are strained, leaving a clear broth void of calories, fat, and other nutrients (that's why there's no nutrition information below).If you are in a pinch for time, substitute commercial mushroom broth (such as Pacific Natural Foods Organic Mushroom Broth) for the dashi, since the overall flavor is of mushrooms, not kelp.

This recipe goes with Soba Noodle Bowl with Egg

Yield: 5 cups

Ingredients

• 8 1/2  cups  water, divided
• 2  cups  dried shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped (about 2 ounces)
• 1  ounce  dried kelp (about 5 [7-inch] pieces)

Preparation

Place 8 cups water and mushrooms in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water and kelp; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Drain mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving mushrooms for another use; discard kelp. Store dashi in an airtight container in the refrigerator.