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Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito)

Katsuobushi (Dried bonito)

Japanese: 鰹節（本枯節）

A preserved food made by boiling, smoking, and mold-curing bonito. Said to be the hardest food in the world, it forms the foundation of dashi.

Making katsuobushi takes over half a year. Bonito is filleted, boiled, smoked repeatedly, then inoculated with mold. The mold draws out moisture, breaks down fats, and removes off-flavors. Repeating this yields hon-karebushi of extraordinary purity. The aroma released when shaved is a treasury of inosinic acid compounds, underpinning the entire dashi culture of Japanese cuisine. Essential foundational knowledge for learning fermentation.

Related words

Mold (Filamentous fungi)

A general term for fungi that grow by extending hyphae. The group includes useful species like koji mold and Penicillium, as well as harmful varieties.

Umami

The fifth basic taste, following sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. A deep, savory flavor triggered when amino acids like glutamic acid stimulate receptors on the tongue.

Dashi (Japanese Stock)

A umami-rich liquid extracted from kombu, katsuobushi, dried sardines, or dried shiitake. It is the flavor foundation of Japanese cuisine, with fermented foods as key ingredients.

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