Basic Recipe – Vegetarian Dashi (Kombu–Shiitake Stock)
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Ingredients for Vegetarian Dashi – kombu, shiitake mushrooms, and a clear golden broth. Image generated by ChatGPT (© 2025, used with permission). |
Context: This vegetarian dashi forms the foundation for many dishes in the Muromachi-period Crown Tournament Feast, including O-zoni (Rice Cake Soup). Dashi is the clear stock that underpins nearly every element of honzen ryori dining — simple, elegant, and full of umami.
About the dish: Traditional Japanese dashi is made from bonito flakes and kelp, but vegetarian versions using kombu and shiitake mushrooms date to temple cuisine. The combination yields a delicate but deeply savory stock suitable for modern vegetarian diners.
Historical note: The earliest surviving Japanese culinary texts, including Ryōri Monogatari (c. 1643) and Shijō Ryōri-sho (15th century), describe dashi made from dried fish or seaweed stock. In Buddhist temple cuisine (shōjin ryōri), the bonito was omitted and shiitake mushrooms substituted to deepen the umami flavor without meat or fish. This vegetarian variant predates modern instant dashi and would have been familiar to both monks and samurai guests observing religious fasts.
How to Make Vegetarian Dashi (Kombu–Shiitake Broth)
Ingredients
- 4 two-inch squares dried kombu (about 1½ oz)
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 quarts cold water
Method
- Combine kombu, mushrooms, and water in a pot or lidded container. Let stand for at least 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator).
- If you prefer a warm steep: bring the water to a bare simmer, remove from heat, then add kombu and mushrooms. Steep 30 minutes.
- Strain the stock. Discard or reserve the kombu and mushrooms for reuse (see Reuse Ideas below).
Storage: Keeps 2–3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Reuse Ideas
- Kombu: Slice and add to salads or grains, or dry and grind into homemade furikake seasoning.
- Shiitake caps: Save for use in soups, rice dishes, or stir-fry.
Dietary notes 🥕: 100% vegetarian and vegan. Gluten-free if using tamari in later recipes.
Used In
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| O-zoni soup made with vegetarian dashi – served at the 2019 Crown Tournament Feast |
AI assistance disclosure: This post used AI to help with HTML formatting, SEO/meta, image creation, internal linking, and clarity edits. All recipes, testing, historical framing, and final edits are by the author.
🏯 Building Blocks of O-zoni
This foundational broth gives life to O-zoni and many other dishes in Muromachi cuisine. Explore the full set of companion recipes below.
More from the Japanese Crown Tournament Feast
Explore the full Muromachi-period Honzen Ryōri series from the 10/19/2019 Crown Tournament.
Sources & Notes
- Base proportions and steeping method adapted from Ryori Monogatari (17th century), as discussed in Eric Rath’s Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan.
- Modern vegetarian variation tested by the author for Crown Tournament 2019.
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