Dashi is the clear, golden Japanese stock at the foundation of the country's cooking — most classically a quick infusion of kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (shaved, smoked, fermented skipjack tuna) in hot water. Light-bodied yet profoundly savoury, it carries little colour or fat but a deep umami that underpins miso soup, simmered dishes, noodle broths and dipping sauces.