The secret of Japanese essence is the three desirable taste components: glutamate acid (which tastes like kelp or konbu), inosinic acid (dried bonito), and guanil acid (shiitake mushrooms) - also called “the flavor of Japan.”

In quality Japanese style instant noodle soup, a very savory seasoning derived from bonito, an ocean fish in the mackerel family, is widely used. A kind of dried and smoked bonito, known as katsuobushi, is the prime ingredient in dashi, a broth that forms the basis of many soups and sauces in Japanese cuisine. Quite expensive, katsuobushi used to be given as a wedding gift. A small amount of bonito seasoning adds a luscious aroma and requisite depth to the flavor of Japanese broth.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup - cup soy sauce, dark type
• 1 cup - Mirin sweet rice wine
• 1 1/2 cup - sake
• 1/2 cup - dried Bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
• about 8 to 10 inch portion - dried kombu (konbu) seaweed

To make the essence, combine all ingredients together in a pan. Bring to the boil then simmer it gently until the liquid is reduced to about 2/3. Cool, then strain through a fine sieve. Store in a dark bottle in the refrigerator.

Use this as a sauce for anything…add a bit of sugar to make it a teriyaki sauce…add water or basic Japanese stock to make a dipping sauce for cold noodles (soba or udon, etc)…add hot stock or water to make a soup for hot noodles…add some lemon juice or rice vinegar plus oil to make a Japanese style salad dressing.