Okayama ¨C Mika Kumahara calls herself a ¡°dashi sensei.¡±
Dashi is such an elemental component of Japanese cuisine that the idea of needing a teacher is surprising.
For all its simplicity, few people actually make it themselves; if you take a peek into kitchen pantries across the country, you¡¯ll probably find that ubiquitous packet of umami in a box ¡ª instant dashi.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.