What is Hon Dashi?

Hon Dashi is a perfect example of a fantastic flavouring ingredient that few people (outside of Japan) ever use, or even know exists. It’s high time we changed that. Hon Dashi granules are a very versatile ingredient that makes whatever you’re cooking, be it a soup, stew or risotto taste better without distracting the palate from the primary flavours of your recipe. If you’ve ever had miso soup and wondered what makes it taste so good, its not the miso, but the dashi stock that the soup is made from.

Hon Dashi (original flavour) is made primarily from Skipjack Tuna (also known as Bonito) that is dried into blocks and used like Parmesan Cheese. Anyone can make a beautiful clear fish stock by simply adding Hon-Dashi granules to hot water. In addition to having a salty taste as one would expect from stock, Hon Dashi boasts a slightly sweet and uniquely smoky undertone. You can practically use it in any recipe which calls for stock since Hon Dashi stock isn’t fishy. In fact it doesn’t even taste of fish. 

In my humble opinion, stock made from Hon Dashi is superior to any other type of instant stock that I have come across. Why does Hon Dashi have such a wonderful taste? I think it’s because of the double desiccation used in its manufacture which removes all the unwanted smells. I’m no expert but this is roughly how it’s made: The Tuna is first cured with salt over a long period of time until it is bone dry, then rehydrated and boiled in water to form a bullion. The solids are then strained away while the liquid is put through an evaporator and flash frozen. It is then crushed into granules and the granules are then thawed in a vacuum in a second dehydration where the ice sublimates directly into gas. Its a lot more technologically advanced than making your run of the mill stock cubes, sort of like replicating the conditions of outer space if you think about it. The complicated process extracts and removes the fishy odours that set in quickly when seafood is harvested, leaving a natural sweetness that is otherwise elusive.

Hon Dashi granules dissolve to create a basic bouillon called Katsuo Dashi, which is great as a cooking ingredient, but seldom consumed directly. When we refer to the Dashi that one drinks like a consomme, what is called Awase Dashi, some dried kelp (also known as Konbu) is used an second key ingredient to provide additional umami. To make some of this traditional consomme type Dashi you can follow this link to my recipe for Awase Dashi. Although it is not available everywhere, Hon Dashi also comes in a ‘with Konbu’ format (pictured on right) but this is a less flexible option as you then can’t make a bouillon without the kelp flavour. Most Japanese housewives will prefer to stock the classic Hon Dashi granules at home and add infuse the konbu flavour themselves whenever desired.

There is also a variety of Hon Dashi made from dried scallops (also known as Conpoy) instead of Tuna and it merits mention here.This scallop version has an intense shellfish flavour which is perfect for enhancing seafood dishes like Bouillabaisse and Seafood Risotto. This variety is also perfect for making Chinese soups (check out my Consommé page). 

If you have the opportunity, do try using Hon Dashi stock in your cooking. You can actually use it even if no stock is called for, as they come in granules instead of cubes. Try sprinkling on some in place of salt. However you use it, you will be adding that special hint of a flavour that will keep your dinner guests guessing as to what your secret ingredient is.

 

Notes

• No, I do not own any Ajinomoto shares (manufacturer of Hon Dashi) or have any other ulterior motive for recommending this stock – pun unintended.
• If you can’t find Hon Dashi, I have been told it is available at Amazon.com, in the grocery section.
• Keep your opened Hon Dashi sachets in the fridge, I just fold the lip of the sachets over and secure them with a paper clip. They can last for years this way.