Kombu dashi is a Japanese kelp stock which is simple to make, but underpins a great many techniques and dishes in South East Asian cuisine. It’s also called ichiban dashi, or ‘first stock’ and is a great place to start learning about Japanese culinary tradition. It’s all about capturing and concentrating the ‘fifth flavour’: umami.
Kombu dashi does require specific ingredients if you’re going to make it properly:
Kombu, Katsuobushi and water.