Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch (or cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup dashi broth
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the starch slurry: In a small bowl, mix the potato starch with water until completely combined to form a smooth slurry that will be used to thicken the sauce.
- Combine base ingredients: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the dashi broth, sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam that rises to ensure a clear sauce.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir the prepared potato starch slurry again, then slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a slightly thickened consistency.
- Strain the sauce: Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining lumps or starch clumps, resulting in a smooth texture.
- Serve: Drizzle the finished dashi sauce over steamed tofu, vegetables, meat, or seafood to enhance the flavor with its savory umami richness.
Notes
- Use potato starch as it provides a glossy finish, but cornstarch can be substituted if needed.
- Adjust the amount of soy sauce to control the saltiness of the sauce.
- The sauce can be refrigerated for 2-3 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Skimming foam during boiling helps achieve a clear, clean-tasting sauce.
- Dashi broth can be made from scratch using kombu and bonito flakes or purchased premade for convenience.
- For vegetarian version, use kombu dashi instead of bonito-based dashi broth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
