Matsumaeya Awase Dashi Packs - Kelp, Dried Bonito & Dried Sardines 31.7 oz (10 packs)

This awase (literally means "put together") dashi from the Matsumaeya Company is a blend of some of the finest ingredients available. Each dashi pack contains Ma konbu ("the king of kelp"), dried bonito and dried sardines. In a convenient form, these dashi packs have become very popular even among professional chefs since it allows them to make quality dashi with minimal effort.

While stocks in many other cultures take a long time to make, dashi, a key component of Japanese cuisine, can be prepared in a shorter amount of time. Yet dashi is concentrated with umami, because while the process of making it in the kitchen is not time consuming, it takes a long time to make the ingredients themselves (especially the dried and smoked bonito). Dashi's wealth of umami can add a greater depth of flavor in meat dishes without adding any trace of fish aroma, due to the smoking technique used for the bonito. Dashi adds a deeper and more complex flavor for any dish in any cuisine.

To make dashi, fill a pot with 2 gallons of water, add one pack, and allow to soak for thirty minutes. This alone will achieve the umami component. After soaking, place on low to medium heat for fifteen minutes (simmer only, do not boil), remove from heat and allow to sit for fifteen minutes.

Matsumaeya was established in Osaka in 1912 and since then they have been providing quality konbu products to the culinary hubs all over Japan.