No-Waste Smoky Fish Dashi Broth

Ingredients

• 1 Yellowtail kingfish bones and head (from one fish; eyes and gills removed)
• 4 L Water
• 100 g Kombu (dried kelp)
• 1 kg Chicken necks (toasted until golden)
• 100 g Dried shiitake mushrooms
• 300 g Spring onion (trimmed and chopped)
• 300 g Onion (chopped)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the fish head and bones by removing the eyes and gills, as these can impart a bitter flavor to the broth.

2. 2

   Toast the fish bones and head. The author recommends hanging them above a barbecue to infuse them with a smoky flavor.

3. 3

   Place 100g of kombu into a large pot with 4 liters of water. Let it sit and soak for a couple of hours.

4. 4

   Bring the water and kombu to a simmer. As it heats, scoop off any white foam that rises to the surface.

5. 5

   Just before the liquid reaches a full simmer, remove the kombu from the pot and discard or repurpose.

6. 6

   Add the toasted fish bones and head to the pot. Let the mixture simmer for 40 minutes.

7. 7

   While the fish is simmering, toast the chicken necks in a separate pan or oven until they are nice and golden brown.

8. 8

   Pass the fish broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, discarding the fish solids.

9. 9

   Add the toasted chicken necks to the strained broth and simmer for 90 minutes. Continue to remove any white foam that appears.

10. 10

    Add 100g of dried shiitake mushrooms to the broth and continue simmering for one more hour.

11. 11

    Drain the broth through a sieve, ensuring you let it sit to capture every drop of liquid.

12. 12

    Trim and chop the spring onions and onions. Add the chopped vegetables to the dashi broth.

13. 13

    Simmer the broth once more with the vegetables to infuse their flavor.

14. 14

    Pass the broth through a fine sieve one final time. Return to heat and reduce the liquid until it becomes a rich, powerful, and concentrated broth.

Notes

This recipe is a 'no-waste' variation of traditional dashi, substituting bonito flakes with toasted fish bones. The addition of chicken necks creates a 'double stock' profile similar to some ramen bases.

Nutrition per serving

• dashi
• broth
• fish stock
• umami
• soup base
• seafood
• slow-cooked
• no-waste