Chuka Dashi: A Japanese Recipe From Chinese Influence
Are you looking for an easy and delicious way to make chuka dashi? Look no further!
This chuka dashi recipe is a great way to add umami to dishes, but you can still taste the Chinese influence. It’s a great alternative to traditional dashi and can be used as a base for soups and stews. I’ve kept this version quick and easy to make, so you can have it ready in no time.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make this Japanese-style soup in just five simple steps.
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How to make chuka dashi at home
Chuka Dashi Recipe (Chinese Seasoning Broth)
Equipment
- 1 Sauce pan
- 1 Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb chicken breast or pork
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and chopped
- 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
- 1 inch peeled ginger thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the meat, onions, rehydrated mushrooms, carrots, ginger, garlic, and vegetable oil.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the meat and vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before using it as a stock or seasoning.
Video
Cooking tips
Blender
Using a blender to make chuka dashi is a great way to get a smooth, flavorful broth.
- Start by cooking the ingredients in water for at least 25 minutes.
- Then, add the cooked and mushy ingredients to the blender along with all of the cooking liquid.
- Blend until the ingredients are completely broken down, and the liquid is smooth.
- No need to strain the mixture through a sieve, although you might want to if you use this as a base for a sauce.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are an essential ingredient in chuka dashi. Start by soaking the mushrooms in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
This will help to extract the most flavor from the mushrooms and makes sure they rehydrate.
Once the mushrooms have been soaked, remove them from the water and use that soaking liquid as the water to cook everything in.
Then, finely chop the mushrooms and add them back to the pot with the other ingredients.
Use of substitutes with chuka dashi
Substituting Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are a common ingredient in chuka dashi, but they can be substituted with other mushrooms.
For example, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, or even button mushrooms can be used.
The flavor of the dish will be slightly different, but still delicious. To substitute, simply use the same amount of whichever mushroom you choose.
Substituting Pork for Chicken
Pork can be substituted for chicken in chuka dashi. To do this, use the same amount of pork as you would chicken.
The pork should be cut into small cubes and cooked until it is tender. The flavor of the dish will be much stronger though.
How to serve and eat chuka dashi
Chuka dashi can be served and eaten in a few simple steps. When you use it in powdered form you need to add some water, but we don’t have to do that here because we have the broth ready to go.
To start, make sure you have all the ingredients you need. Heat the broth in a pot and add the desired ingredients.
You only need a little of the chuka dashi to go into a dish. Think of it as the chicken or vegetable stock you use as the base for soups.
Once the broth is hot, ladle it into individual bowls. To eat, use chopsticks to pick up the ingredients and dip them into the broth. Make sure to sip the broth from the bowl as well.
When it comes to serving chuka dashi, it’s best to use small bowls or cups. This will help keep the broth hot and make it easier to eat.
Place the bowls or cups on a tray and serve with chopsticks. You can also add condiments such as soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger to the table for added flavor.
Chuka dashi is a delicious and easy to serve and eat dish. All you need is a pot of broth, some ingredients, and a few small bowls or cups.
How to store chuka dashi
Storing leftovers of chuka dashi is easy.
First, make sure the dish has cooled down completely before transferring it to an airtight container. This will help prevent bacteria from growing.
If you’re not planning to eat the leftovers within a few days, it’s best to freeze them.
To do this, transfer the leftovers to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a pot over low heat.
Make sure to stir the food often to prevent it from burning. If you don’t want to freeze the leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To do this, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Similar dishes to chuka dashi
If you like the taste of chuka dashi, you might want to try any of these great recipes:
Miso soup
One dish that is similar to chuka dashi is miso soup. Miso soup (here’s my favorite vegan recipe for it) is made with a miso paste, which is a fermented soybean paste, and dashi, which is a soup stock made from kombu and bonito flakes.
Both chuka dashi and miso soup are light, flavorful soups that are a staple in Japanese cuisine.
The main difference between the two is that miso soup has a stronger flavor due to the miso paste, while chuka dashi is more subtle.
Also, miso soup uses “original” dashi with kombu and bonito flakes but you could even replace the dashi in miso soup with chuka dashi if you have any leftover from the batch you just made.
Oden
Another dish that is similar to chuka dashi is oden. Oden is a Japanese stew made with a variety of ingredients, such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, and konnyaku, that are simmered in a dashi broth.
Like chuka dashi, oden is a light, flavorful dish that is a popular part of Japanese cuisine. The main difference between the two is that oden is a stew, while chuka dashi is a soup base.
Both miso soup and oden are great dishes to try if you’re looking for something similar to chuka dashi.
They both have a light, flavorful broth that is a staple in Japanese cuisine, and they both offer a more traditional Japanese take on chuka dashi.
Conclusion
Chuka dashi is a delicious and easy-to-make Japanese soup stock that can be used to enhance the flavor of a variety of dishes.
It’s a great way to add a unique flavor to your cooking and can be used in a variety of dishes. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious and flavorful chuka dashi in no time.
So why not give it a try? You won’t regret it!
Also read: this is how to make a delicious traditional awase dashi broth yourself from scratch
Check out our new cookbook
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.
