Concentrated Japanese seasoning base for ramen: dark, salty, umami-rich, and lightly sweet, made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, kombu, and dried bonito flakes.
Ingredients
- 200 ml Japanese koikuchi soy sauce
- 60 ml Japanese mirin
- 60 ml Japanese cooking sake
- 8 g dried Japanese kombu
- 12 g katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- 8 g whole dried shiitake mushrooms
- 12 g light brown cane sugar
- 4 g fine sea salt
Method
- Gently wipe the dried Japanese kombu with a barely damp cloth without actually washing it: the white powder on the surface is pure umami. Place the dried Japanese kombu and whole dried shiitake mushrooms in a small saucepan with the Japanese koikuchi soy sauce, then let steep cold for 30 minutes until the kelp softens.
- Add the Japanese mirin and Japanese cooking sake. Heat over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until you see visible steam and a very gentle simmer around the edges, without letting it come to a rolling boil.
- Remove the kombu as soon as it is pliable. Continue simmering gently for 10 minutes to let the alcohol from the sake and mirin cook off, until the aromas mellow.
- Add the light brown cane sugar and fine sea salt, then stir for 2 minutes until completely dissolved, yielding a glossy, dark, fluid mixture.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the katsuobushi dried bonito flakes, and cover the pan. Let steep off the heat for 10 minutes until the flakes sink to the bottom.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve without pressing hard on the flakes or dried shiitake mushrooms, keeping the liquid clear and deep mahogany brown.
- Let cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes, then pour the shoyu tare into a clean jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 108.7 kcal
- Protein
- 6.7 g
- Carbohydrate
- 13.81 g
- Fat
- 0.13 g
- Fibre
- 0.71 g
- Calcium
- 29.93 mg
- Iron
- 1.16 mg
- Magnesium
- 65.49 mg
