Tsuji's Japanese Cooking establishes that dashi is not a single preparation but a family of at least six distinct stocks — each appropriate for different applications based on flavour intensity, clarity requirements, and the dishes they will season. The Western kitchen's single chicken stock has no equivalent complexity in the Japanese system, where the stock choice is as important as any other technique decision.
The full Japanese dashi family — ichiban dashi (first extraction), niban dashi (second extraction), kombu dashi (vegetarian), niboshi dashi (dried sardine), shiro dashi (light), and shiitake dashi — each with specific applications and flavour profiles.
ZAITOUN THIRD BATCH + TSUJI JAPANESE ADDITIONAL