Kyoto Vegetables and Dashi —The Resonance Between the Ingredient's Voice and the Dashi—

When I am cooking, what always comes to mind is the question of "how to listen to the voice of the ingredient." Among these, the relationship between Kyoto vegetables and dashi is, I think, something that answers that question head-on. Kyoto vegetables have flavor that stands out even when simply boiled. But by pairing them with dashi, their individuality takes on a sharper outline and leaves a deeper aftertaste.

Kujo negi — a tune of kombu dashi that envelops sweetness

For example,Kujo green onion. In winter, Kujo negi becomes very sweet after being touched by frost. It is delicious enough just put into a hot pot as is, but when paired with kombu dashi, that sweetness is rounded out and supported. The glutamic acid of kombu resonates with the fructose and glucose the negi holds, spreading in the mouth like a single chord. It does not assert itself strongly but quietly draws close. As a chef, such a relationship feels above all precious to me.

The science behind the affinity of Kujo negi and kombu dashi

Kujo green onion's main sweetness components are fructan (a polymer of fructose) and glucose. When combined with the glutamic acid of kombu dashi, a synergistic umami effect arises on the tongue. This combination produces a "gentle umami" different from that of bonito dashi (inosinic acid).

Frost-touched Kujo negi in winter can reach a sugar level of 8 degrees or higher, and simply simmering it in kombu dashi completes a soup with an elegant sweetness.Kyoto vegetable calendar, check the season and use negi from the sweetest period—that is the point.

Kamo eggplant — a restrained dashi that brings out aroma and oil

On the other hand,Kamo eggplant. This round eggplant, harvested at the height of summer, has dense flesh, and when it absorbs oil it takes on a texture that seems to melt into a luscious softness. When making it into dengaku, coating it with miso enriched with bonito dashi is beautiful too, but I sometimes deliberately hold back on the bonito.

When I want to bring the eggplant's own aroma and the sweetness of the oil to the fore, kombu with a little niboshi, layered with just enough white miso, is enough. Then the "voice of the eggplant itself," which would otherwise be hidden behind the boldness of bonito, quietly peeks out.

Using dashi differently for Kamo eggplant

Kamo eggplanttends to absorb oil, so as a rule it is best to use dashi sparingly. Bringing bonito dashi fully to the fore hides the sweetness of the oil, so dashi made from kombu with a little niboshi, layered with white miso, is just the right balance.

When making it into agebitashi, fry it in 170°C oil for 3 minutes, then soak it in chilled bonito dashi (8 parts dashi : 1 part light soy sauce : 1 part mirin). Chilling it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours lets the flavor settle in.

The philosophy of dashi in Kyoto cuisine

When I think about it, I believe that in the history of Kyoto cuisine, "dashi" was not merely a seasoning but a "place" that resonated with vegetables and tofu. Even without using animal-based dashi, how many dishes has shojin dashi made from kombu and dried shiitake supported? There was a philosophy there of wanting to convey the savory essence of vegetables directly. That is precisely why dashi, while a "supporting player," always feels to me an indispensable foundation of a dish.

What is vegetable dashi? A new option for sustainable umami

How to make shojin dashi and apply it to Kyoto vegetables

The basic way to make shojin dashi is to soak kombu and dried shiitake in water overnight. Soak 20 g of kombu and 3 dried shiitake in 1 L of water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. This flame-free "cold-water extraction" is less prone to off-flavors and is ideal for bringing out the delicate taste of Kyoto vegetables.

Shogoin kabura's senmaizuke-style pickles andShogoin daikon's furofuki also go well with this shojin dashi.Sustainable food culture, dashi that uses no animal-based ingredients is also drawing attention from this perspective.

Horikawa gobo — the wonder of how dashi changes its expression

Horikawa gobo's simmered dishes also tell the story of the relationship with dashi well.Horikawa gobohas a hollow at its center, and letting it absorb umami there makes it all the more delicious. Simmered in a strong bonito dashi it takes on a bold flavor; steeped in just kombu and light soy sauce it finishes as softly as a clear tone.

Even with the same gobo, when the dashi it resonates with changes, its expression transforms completely. In musical terms, this might be like accompaniment. The melody is left to the gobo itself, and the dashi plays the role of deciding in what key to support that melody. When I think about cooking, that is how I feel.

A comparison of Horikawa gobo's finish by dashi

Horikawa goboComparing simmered dishes of by dashi, the difference is obvious. Bonito dashi: a bold, masculine flavor. Kombu dashi: a calm, elegant finish. Dried shiitake dashi: deep richness and complex umami. Blended dashi (kombu + bonito): a well-balanced, classic taste.

Because Horikawa gobo has a hollow at its center, the dashi it absorbs penetrates to the core.Slowly over low heatsimmering to let it absorb is the trick to making the dashi permeate throughout.

Mibuna — dried shiitake dashi that brings out the aroma

Also, among Kyoto vegetables there are some that prize "aroma."
For example,mibuna,. This green, with its faint pungency and freshness, can sometimes lose its pure aroma somewhere if simmered in bonito dashi. At such times, I choose dried shiitake dashi. The guanylic acid of shiitake gently envelops the bitterness and pungency of the mibuna and brings out its aroma. It shows a completely different expression. Choosing the dashi is also the work of changing the "tone of voice" of the ingredient.

A dialogue in the kitchen day by day

What is fascinating on the chef's front line is sensing, with each day's purchase, "what kind of voice today's vegetables have." If the Kujo negi's aroma is strong, use more kombu; if the Kamo eggplant is watery, add a slightly stronger dash of bonito. Small adjustments that cannot be measured in numbers are in fact what produce the big differences in a dish. The word "dialogue" fits perfectly, and I think a plate that holds true only for that day and that moment is born.

In closing — dashi is a mirror that reflects the ingredient

When you hear "Kyoto vegetables and dashi," it may seem at first glance a simple, commonplace combination. But behind it lie countless choices about how to listen to the ingredient and what resonance to create. Sometimes you make the dashi strongly felt for impact; sometimes you hold it back to the very limit and let the ingredient speak. Neither is right—there is only facing the question of "how to draw close to that day's vegetables."

As I have continued to stand in the kitchen as a chef, I have learned little by little.
Dashi is not something that "adds flavor," but a "mirror that reflects the ingredient." To convey the voice of Kyoto vegetables as it is, what tone do you layer on? That accumulation, I think, is what has carried Kyoto's food culture down to today.

Today again, vegetables arrive. I open the box, check the aroma, touch them with my fingers, and gauge their weight. In that moment, I think, "Now, what resonance shall I add to this voice?" Dashi is something that quietly grows within such daily exchanges.

A Kyoto-style dashi recipe you can easily make at home

To make Kyoto-style dashi at home, just soak 10 g of kombu (one 10 cm square) in 500 ml of water for 30 minutes, heat over low heat, and lift it out just before boiling. Add 10 g of bonito flakes to this, simmer for 1 minute, and strain to complete the first dashi.

Manganji togarashi's yaki-bitashi andKujo green onion's clear soup—it can be used across Kyoto-vegetable cooking in general. Leftover dashi keeps for about two weeks frozen.

Vegetable broth made with dried Kyoto vegetables

Dried Kyoto vegetablesvegetable broth (vegetable dashi) is also a new way to enjoy Kyoto vegetables and dashi. Soaking dried Kujo negi, driedShogoin kabura, and dried carrot in water and simmering over low heat for 30 minutes completes a golden soup that uses no animal-based ingredients at all.

This vegetable broth concentrates the umami ofKyoto vegetables, and is delicious to drink on its own as well as a base for miso soup and simmered dishes.

Kyoto vegetable columns to read together

The world of "heat control" paired with dashi, and "subtractive cooking" that makes the most of dashi's umami—please have a look at these too. In "Pairing Kyoto vegetables with sake," we introduce the pleasure of dashi and sake resonating together.

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