Katsuobushi is a preserved Japanese ingredient made from bonito, usually skipjack tuna, that is cooked, smoked, dried, and sometimes aged with mold.Outside Japan, it is often recognized as the thin flakes scattered over takoyaki, okonomiyaki, or tofu. But its most important role is less visible. Katsuobushi is one of the main ingredients used to make dashi, the light but deeply savory stock that supports miso soup, noodle broths, simmered dishes, and many other Japanese foods.The delicate flakes come from an ingredient that has undergone a long preservation process. Moisture is removed, flavor becomes concentrated, and an ordinary fish is transformed ...
