ichiban dashi

: What Is Niban Dashi? The Second Extraction That Gives Japanese Cooking Its Depth

Ichiban dashi is the first extraction of Japanese broth made mainly from kombu and katsuobushi. It is valued for its clarity, delicate aroma, and refined taste, and is used in dishes where the broth itself should be appreciated. Niban dashi is the second extraction made from those same ingredients after ichiban dashi has already been prepared. It is created by using stronger techniques such as boiling and pressing to draw out the remaining depth of flavor, then balancing that rougher character through cooking methods and seasonings. In many Western kitchens, broth is made by simmering ingredients for a ...

: What Is Ichiban Dashi? The First Extraction That Defines Japanese Broth

Ichiban dashi is the first extraction of Japanese broth, typically made from kombu and katsuobushi. It is valued not for brute intensity but for something harder to achieve: clarity, fragrance, and umami that feels balanced rather than forceful. Japanese cooks treat it less like a flavor bomb and more like a quiet foundation that supports a dish without competing with it. The technique is built on restraint. Gentle heat, precise timing, careful straining. The goal is not to pull everything out of the ingredients, but to stop at exactly the right moment, while the broth is still clear and the ...