Katsuobushi
February 9, 2009 | 11 Comments
Other Names
kezuribushi, kezurikatsuo, hanakatsuo, shaved skipjack, shaved bonito
Description
This is a basic ingredient in the Japanese kitchen made from dried bonito (skipjack tuna) which is a fish prized for its high concentration of umami compounds. By drying it, the level of umami is further concentrated, making katsuobushi a core component of most Japanese stocks (dashi).
What’s it taste like?
Since it’s dried and shaved very thin, it has an almost paper-like consistency, but as it meats your tongue, it explodes with an intense smoky flavour that almost tastes like you’re sucking on a bouillon cube. If you’ve ever had miso soup before, you’ll recognize the flavour since miso soup is made using stock extracted from katsuobushi. Unfortunately the art of making dashi from katsuobushi is dying as most people opt for the more convenient “instant” dashi powders which are loaded with MSG.
Where do I get it?
Katsuobushi should be available at any Japanese grocery store and may be found in the “Asian” section at major supermarkets. They either come in big plastic bags, or in smaller bags which contain small serving sized packets.
When is it best?
Since it’s a dried food, there is no season, however you want to make sure it’s not past its expiry date as the flavour diminishes as it gets older.
How do I use it?
Katsuobushi comes in a few different thicknesses. The thick ones are used for making dashi (Japanese stock), while the thinner ones can be used as a topping for various dishes including okonomiyaki and oshitashi. When mixed with soy sauce, it’s called okaka and is a common filling in onigiri (rice balls).
Nutrition
Some studies have shown that when katsuobushi interacts with certain enzymes an oligopeptide is produced that lowers blood pressure.
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11 Responses to “Katsuobushi”
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I love bonito flakes and miso soup. In fact I love japanese food! But I didn’t knew all this important facts about katsuobushi and is so interesting.
Do you think it’s possible to find it in a commercial version without the msg?
heidi
p.s. as usual your pictures are so clean, sharp and beautiful!
aaah marc i think this new blog is a fantastic idea!! i love bonito…i can just pour into my mouth straight out of packet and it’ll make my day just fine. also, if i have takoyaki, you don’t see the takoyaki cause i have a sea of bonito on top of it…it’s heaven
x
Mmm…bonito. I love it piled on okonomiyaki. The umami flavor is outstanding…the sight of all those wiggling flakes are a bonus.
[...] of it’s bold flavour, niboshi stocks are typically reserved for heavier soups and dishes with katsuobushi or kombu being used for lighter stocks. Niboshi dashi is commonly used in stock for udon, kakuni, [...]
What an AMAZING photo!!!!
[...] with a briny umami-filled flavour that bolsters other more flavourful dashi ingredients such as katsuobushi or niboshi. In larger sheets it can be rehydrated and used to wrap seafood or meat for stewing. The [...]
I could only find the thin katsuobushi – can i still use it to make stock?
also, can you recommend a good brand of mirin?
The thin kind is fine (it just tends to be more expensive). As for mirin, I don’t have a particular brand I recommend, but look at the ingredients. I try to steer clear of brands that list “Corn Syrup” as the first ingredient. Some of them also include MSG which I also try and avoid.
[...] to a whole family of stocks which are mostly seafood based, using umami-rich ingredients such as kezurikatsuo, niboshi, kombu and even shiitake mushrooms. By using these basic ingredients in different [...]
[...] 2 C roughly chopped cabbage 2 Tbs katsuobushi 2 scallions chopped 1 tbs [...]
[...] adding some cooked rice to the soup and cooking until the rice is very soft. 1 qt soy milk 1/4 C katsuobushi 4″ sheet kombu 3 small carrots cut into chunks 3 small turnips cut into 6 wedges 3 Tbs white [...]