Korean Style Dashi is a traditional Korean recipe, for a classic soup stock base made with dried kelp and dried anchovies. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Korean version of: Korean Style Dashi.
1.5l water
10g dried kelp or Japanese kombu
30g dried anchovies (approximately 20 medium-sized dried anchovies)
Method:
Gently wipe the dried kelp with a damp kitchen towel or paper to remove any dust or debris. Don’t worry about any white powdery coating, you want to keep this. It’s mannitol, a natural sugar alcohol that lends sweetness and enhances the umami flavour of the stock. So just wipe the kelp clean, don’t scrub.
Place the died kelp in a saucepan, pour over the 1.5l water then set aside to soak for at least an hour (best left over night).
Remove the heads and black guts from the anchovies. Set the cleaned anchovies in a spice bag or large tea strainer (alternatively tie in a muslin [cheese-cloth] bag) — this step just makes clean-up easier later.
Set the pan with the kelp over medium-low heat and add the anchovies. Bring to a boil then cook for 10 minutes. At this point remove the kelp with tongs and continue simmering the anchovies over low heat for 10 minutes.
Now remove the bag of anchovies and strain the stock through a strainer lined with a double-layer of muslin to catch any leftover kelp or anchovy particles.
The soup stock is now ready to use. If you plan to use it later, let it cool and transfer it to an airtight container or bottle. It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
