Shiitake Dashi, which contains a large amount of umami components, not only tastes delicious but also allows you to enjoy the rich aroma of shiitake mushrooms. Among the dashi broths used in Japanese cuisine, it is one of the easiest to make with minimal effort.
Jump to:
- What is Shiitake Dashi?
- The reason for using shiitake mushrooms
- Crucial notes
- Can dried, sliced shiitake mushrooms be used?
- Enhancing nutritional benefits
- Quick ways to get prepared
- Making awase dashi
- Points to note when heating your shiitake dashi
- Ingredients
- Step-by-step instructions
- Tips on how to make
- Recipe Card
What is Shiitake Dashi?
Shiitake Dashi is a type of dashi broth used in Japan that is extracted from dried shiitake mushrooms when they are rehydrated in water. It does not need to be heated and can be made simply by soaking the dried shiitake mushrooms in water. Like kombu dashi, it is also a vegan option.
In Japan, shiitake dashi is commonly used to make simmered dishes, soups, and cooked rice dishes. It contains high levels of guanylic acid and glutamic acid, which are umami components that people find tasty, and is one of the classic dashi in Japan, along with kombu dashi and bonito dashi.
Guanylic acid, the primary component of shiitake dashi, is created through the process of drying fresh shiitake mushrooms. Therefore, it is necessary to use dried shiitake mushrooms to make the dashi, not fresh ones. After making dashi, the shiitake mushrooms can be used as an ingredient in cooking.
The reason for using shiitake mushrooms
Among various mushroom types, dried shiitake mushrooms are used to make dashi broth due to their high umami component.
In particular, it is known that they contain over 10 times the amount of guanylic acid than other types of mushrooms. This abundance of guanylic acid is the main reason why shiitake mushrooms are used as ingredients for making dashi among mushrooms.
Since guanylic acid is an umami component that is rarely found in other ingredients, just adding a small amount of shiitake dashi to soups can make them taste even better.
Crucial notes
When extracting broth from dried shiitake mushrooms, it is crucial to keep in mind the following factors: do not heat them during the process of making dashi broth. Additionally, you should not use hot water.
When dried shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated, ribonucleic acid (RNA) is extracted during the process, before it is converted to guanylic acid. RNA is most easily extracted in cold water at 41°F (5°C) and is broken down into guanylic acid when heated. If dried shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated with hot water or boiled, it is difficult to extract RNA, and as a result, guanylic acid is hardly produced. Therefore, when making shiitake dashi, it is advisable to rehydrate them in cold water in the refrigerator for a longer period of time.
It is said that the ideal time to rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water is 10 hours (depending on the type and thickness of the shiitake mushrooms). While you can obtain dashi with a similar color from dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated for a few hours and those rehydrated for 10 hours, you will notice a difference in umami and aroma. However, if you rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in water for too long, bitter components may be produced, so be sure to remove them within 24 hours.
Can dried, sliced shiitake mushrooms be used?
Shiitake dashi can also be made from sliced, dried shiitake mushrooms. However, it is important to remember that the flavor extraction differs between sliced and whole shiitake mushrooms.
While enough umami components can be extracted from sliced, dried shiitake mushrooms in about half the time (around 5 hours) compared to whole ones, the aroma can hardly be extracted. In other words, the aroma is weaker, but it is possible to make shiitake dashi in a shorter time. If you are not fond of the aroma of shiitake mushrooms, using sliced ones may be more suitable for you.
Enhancing nutritional benefits
If you want to extract more nutrients from shiitake dashi, place dried shiitake mushrooms with their gills facing up in the sunlight for about 2 hours before rehydrating them. This step will increase the amount of vitamin D2 in the shiitake mushrooms by about ten times.
Once generated, vitamin D2 can exist for several months, so it is best to expose shiitake mushrooms to sunlight whenever you have the opportunity. However, this process is not essential, as it enhances the nutritional value of shiitake mushrooms without affecting the taste of shiitake dashi itself.
Quick ways to get prepared
The best way to make shiitake dashi is by slowly rehydrating dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water. However, if you need to use it immediately, I recommend grinding dried shiitake mushrooms instead.
This method allows you to extract the umami flavors of the shiitake mushrooms without losing too much flavor and create a dashi broth. You can also grind up the stems, which are usually discarded.
Please note that the shiitake dashi powder made by grinding should be heated before consumption. Although rare, consuming it uncooked may cause an allergic reaction.
Making awase dashi
When making dashi broth with two (or more) ingredients instead of just one, you can experience a stronger umami flavor due to the synergistic effect.
Another ingredient that is suitable for adding to shiitake dashi is kombu (dried kelp). You can make awase dashi (a combination dashi) with kombu and shiitake mushrooms by adding them to the water at the same time. However, if you soak the kombu in water for more than 10 hours, the water may become cloudy and develop a distinct smell, so be sure to remove it halfway through the process.
Besides kombu, it is also recommended to add dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi) for more flavor.
Points to note when heating your shiitake dashi
In the complicated world of dried shiitake mushrooms, they also contain an enzyme known as nucleotidase, which breaks down the umami component guanylic acid in shiitake mushrooms. So, when nucleotidase is active, the guanylic acid extracted from shiitake mushrooms disappears.
This enzyme is most active at temperatures between 104-140°F (40-60°C). For this reason, to create flavorful shiitake dashi, it is recommended to quickly heat it over high heat and minimize the activation of nucleotidase.
However, shiitake dashi also has another aspect: when boiled, the RNA is less likely to convert to guanylic acid, causing a loss of umami. Therefore, when heating shiitake dashi, it is desirable to reduce the heat before it reaches a boil.
In summary, by initially heating the shiitake dashi over high heat and then reducing the heat to low just before boiling (when bubbles begin to appear), you can warm it without compromising its umami essence.
Ingredients
- 0.85 oz. (24g) dried shiitake mushrooms (The amount of dried shiitake mushrooms should be approximately 5% of the water volume.)
- 2 cups (480ml) water
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 10 hrs
Step 1
Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms. Place them in a bowl with water and let them soak in the refrigerator for about 10 hours.
Step 2
Afterward, remove the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and strain the soaking liquid through a sieve (using paper towels if necessary).
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips on how to make
- Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms before soaking them in water. Dried shiitake mushrooms often have dust and sawdust attached to them during the production process. Don't worry; the umami component will not be lost even after they are cleaned.
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water. The optimal temperature for extracting the umami component from dried shiitake mushrooms is 41°F (5°C). If the water temperature exceeds 77°F (25°C), it may also release the bitter component. Therefore, it is recommended to rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms in the refrigerator.
- Slowly rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in water for about 10 hours. You will notice a significant difference in aroma and flavor between soaking for a few hours and soaking for 10 hours.
Recipe Card
How to Make Shiitake Dashi Properly
Ingredients
- 0.85 oz. (24g) dried shiitake mushrooms (The amount of dried shiitake mushrooms should be approximately 5% of the water volume.)
- 2 cups (480ml) water
Instructions
- Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms. Place them in a bowl with water and let them soak in the refrigerator for about 10 hours.
- Afterward, remove the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and strain the soaking liquid through a sieve (using paper towels if necessary).
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The shiitake mushrooms can be used as ingredients in other dishes.
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