Dashi

• One or more of:
• dried konbu (kelp) seaweed (konbu)
• clams (asari or shijimi)
• dried bonito flakes (katsuo-bushi)
• dried mackerel flakes (sababushi)
• dried sardines or anchovies (niboshi)
• dried shiittake mushroom mushrooms (hoshi-shiitake)
• dried young "flying fishes" (;tobiuo or ;ago,unique name to Japanese-oceanside.)
• 1 quart of water

1. If using sardines or anchovies, rip off the heads and rip out the guts. Discard these, keeping the bodies.
2. Boil (any one or more of the above ingredients) stuff in water, as if you were making tea.
3. Filter the liquid or scoop the solids out of it.
4. The liquid is your dashi.
5. When only kelp (konbu) is used, you get kombu-dashi. This is bland, and appears to be unpopular for use in miso soup. A chunk of kelp about 6 inches across might be reasonable for a quart of broth.
6. When sardines or anchovies also used, you get niboshi-dashi. This seems to be the most popular choice for making miso soup. You might add a bit of sake in this case. About 10 little fish (guppy-sized) per quart of broth should do.
7. When both kelp (konbu) and bonito flakes (katsuo-bushi) are used, you get katsuobushi-dashi. This appears to be the second most popular choice for making miso soup. About 1 cup of bonito flakes per quart of broth should do.
8. At first you produce primary dashi (ichiban-dashi). This is good for clear soups. If you use the solids a second time, you get secondary dashi (niban-dashi). This is good for thick soups and for cooking vegetables.

konbu, bonito flakes, mackerel flakes, sardines, shiittake mushroom mushrooms, fishes, water

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/dashi-1253949 (may not work)