Instructions: 1.1 Soak kobu into water until it doubles (approx.30 min.)to extract umami.

Remove kobu. This is called kobu-dashi(soup). If kobu is not available, just
water is also OK.

1.2 Bring to a boil. Put small pieces of dried bonito at once, then boil it for 10 sec.

(not min.) and turn off the fire.

1.3 Wait until all dried bonito sink to the bottom(10-15sec.) then strain.

This soup is called the 1st dashi(Ichiban-dashi)

1.4 Put this boiled dried bonito back to the pot and add water(a half quantity of
the first one)Then boil it for 20 min. This thick brown color soup is called
the 2nd dashi(Niban-dashi).

Prior to explaining how to cook them, I need to explain how to make dashi-soup,
the basic soup in Japanese dishes. Although there are some types of dashi,

here is my favorite way with dried bonito(katsuobushi) and dried kobu(seaweed).

Kobu-dashi is used with sake when cooking sushi-rice. (See the below 2.)

The 1st dashi is suitable for sumashi-jiru(translucent Japanese soup)

since the smell of
bonito is very subtle. Of course this is available to cook miso-soup. On the other hand,
the 2nd dashi has stronger smell than the 1st dashi, so it is suitable for miso-soup or
soy sauce & sugar taste dishes, not subtle taste dishes. This method is very traditional way.

It is fact that currently most families in Japan use instant dashi(just put it in boiled water).

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