AIP Friendly Dashi
There is something almost meditative about making a proper Japanese stock from scratch, and the result — a pale, golden broth with a clean, oceanic depth — is genuinely worth the patience it asks of you. This is a foundational building block in Japanese cooking, and it comes together with just three ingredients: cold water, kombu, and bonito flakes. The technique is all about restraint — low heat, careful timing, and no squeezing or pressing — because every step is designed to coax out the best flavor while keeping the broth clear and delicate. For anyone navigating the autoimmune protocol, finding a rich, savory base that skips grains, legumes, nightshades, and additives can feel nearly impossible, but this stock clears every one of those hurdles naturally. Kombu and katsuobushi are both whole, unprocessed ingredients with nothing hidden in them, making this one of the cleanest umami sources you can put in your kitchen. Use it as a soup base, a braising liquid, or a gentle poaching medium — it elevates almost anything it touches without adding anything your protocol doesn't allow. Make a batch on the weekend and keep it in the fridge or freezer so you always have something deeply flavorful ready to go.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 ½ cups cold water
- 1 oz (about 15g) kombu
- 1 oz (about 30g) katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cold water and kombu in a medium saucepan. Let the kombu soak at room temperature for 30 minutes, until the water turns a pale straw-yellow and the kombu has softened and expanded slightly.
- 2
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and warm slowly, uncovered, until the water reaches a bare simmer — small bubbles will begin to rise from the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Do not let it reach a full boil; remove the kombu just before the first rolling bubbles appear, as boiling makes the stock bitter and slimy.
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