What exactly is "dashi" and what can be use as a substitute?

What is dashi made of? Can I use chicken broth and add something to make it taste similar to dashi?What exactly is "dashi" and what can be use as a substitute?
Dashi is a Japanese stock made from Kombu (a dark green long thick sea vegetable from the kelp family... seaweed) and Katsuoboshi (Dried Bonito fish flakes)

yeild: 1 qt

1 qt water
1 (1 x 4 inch) kombu, wiped clean
1/2 cup katsuboshi (bonito flakes), tightly packed


maybe try using a fish stock as a substitute
Found this info for you:



Dashi is Japanese stock, which becomes the base of many Japanese dishes, such as soup, dipping sauce, and nimono (simmered dishes). Since dashi is often used in Japanese cooking, it's useful to know how to make it.



There are different kinds of dashi. It can be made from kombu (dried kelp), katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes), niboshi (dried small sardines), hoshi-shiitake (dried shiitake mushrooms), and more. Kombu dashi and dried shiitake mushroom dashi are known as good vegetarian stocks. It might take extra effort to make dashi, but good dashi makes your Japanese dishes taste much better.



(On this site there are the different dashi recipes, one can make)



http://japanesefood.about.com/od/soup/a/鈥?/a>



Dashi



Other names: dashi-no-moto, hon-dashi



A Japanese stock for soups and hotpots that call for kezuri-bushi and konbu. Dashi is typically made from bonito flakes and seaweed. Make your own or purchase dry stock granules. Purchase granules in Asian markets.



Substitute for dashi

Fresh or instant granules can be substituted for one another. Alternately use chicken broth but you'll not reproduce the flavor



http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/鈥?/a>What exactly is "dashi" and what can be use as a substitute?
Dashi is the quintessential flavouring for a huge amount of Japanese cooking. It is a stock that can be used as a soup base for noodle dishes, or as a way to give a Japanese taste to any meal.



There are a few different types of dashi, but the main type of dashi is made with konbu kelp and katsuobushi. Konbu is a type of seaweed that is grown around Japan and katsuobushi is made of very thin shavings of dried tuna.



To make dashi, start by boiling a whole piece of konbu kelp in a pan of water. Then add a handful of katsuobushi, turn off the heat and allow the ingredients infuse the flavour for about 5-10 minutes. After that, strain the water and you will have dashi stock.



For a substitute, you could try boiling some fish to get the essence, then mixing it together with some soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake together with a little sugar. It is not quite the same, but should offer a Japanese taste to your cooking.



However, the easiest way to get dashi if you are unable to make it yourself is to purchase a ready made, concentrated dashi stock that is called tsuyu.

This can be bought in bottles from a Japanese or Asian food store, or online, and you simply dilute it with water depending on what you want to use it for.

Kikkoman make a popular concentrated dashi stock called Hon-Tsuyu. You can buy it online at Japan Centre if you are in Europe. Otherwise, have a look at the image and see if you can find it at your local store:

http://www.japancentre.com/items/966



Lastly, if there was something specific you are planning to make using dashi, please let us know and I am sure that someone may be able to suggest a suitable substitute for your dish.



I hope this helps.
Dashi is a seaweed based soup base. It can be purchased in the Asian food aisle as "dashi-no-moto". These are granules that can be made into an instant soup broth.