Katsuobushi / Bonito Flakes
A preserved food with condensed umami that is indispensable in Japanese cuisine. Delicious as a base for "dashi"
What is katsuobushi?
Katsuobushi / bonito flakes (かつお節 in Japanese) are preserved bonito made by boiling the fish and introducing a specific mold to mature it properly, then drying it out time and again. Katsuobushi is shaved thin, then used to make dashi, or eaten on tofu or white rice. Though previously sold in mass that each household would shave down using their own shavers at home, nowadays they are mostly sold in shaved form.
Nutrition facts
Katsuobushi is made by drying bonito, so by removing the water, the protein, iron, zinc, etc. are condensed. Bonito is a fish that is high in protein and low in fat, but this protein is broken down after death. As a result, when the protein goes through the "steaming" process in the production of katsuobushi, it turns into the umami component inosinic acid. Katsuobushi contains a lot of this inosinic acid. It also contains various other components such as glutamic acid and organic acids, which create a complex umami flavor.
Because katsuobushi has a strong umami flavor, using it in soup stock and flavorings can help reduce salt intake. Furthermore, in recent years, it has been discovered that umami is not only detected by the tongue, but also by receptors present in the digestive tract such as the stomach and intestines, and its relationship to improving health has become more widely discussed.
Storage to prevent food loss
Store away from high heat and humidity. The flakes will start oxidizing from the moment the package is opened, so seal them in an airtight container and then keep in a refrigerator or freezer to preserve flavor.
Trivia
Dashi broth made from bonito flakes is rich in protein. It can be reused as a flavorful seasoning, or furikake, sprinkled on rice.
Caution
When making dashi broth with bonito flakes, ensure the broth is cooked at over 85°C. Colder water will only serve to enhance the bitter flavors.
Cooking Basics
Ingredients (for 800 ml / 27 fl. oz. of dashi)
- Kombu/kelp
- 10 g (3 × 25 cm / 1.2 x 10 in.)
- Katsuobushi/bonito flakes
- 20 g (0.7 oz.)
- Water
- 1000 ml (33.8 fl. oz.)
Directions
Soak the kombu in water for 30 minutes, then heat over medium heat. Just before the water comes to a boil, remove the kombu and turn off the heat. After a few minutes, add in the bonito flakes and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Place a dampened paper towel over an all-purpose strainer and strain the dashi.
This method is convenient for preparing small amounts of dashi, such as soup for one person, ohitashi (boiled vegetables seasoned with dashi and soy sauce), sesame dressing, etc. Place dried bonito flakes (about 5 g /0.2 oz.) into a tea strainer and pour in 200 ml (6.8 fl. oz.) of hot water.
When making simmered dishes, place about 15 g (0.5 oz.) of dried bonito flakes into a tea bag for 1000 ml (33.8 fl. oz.) of water, and add the tea bag in with all other ingredients to prepare deeply-flavored and savory simmered dishes.
Related Recipes
20min
90kcal
700mg
- 10min
- 361kcal
- 315mg
