Katsuobushi Bonito

This preserved food finds its traditions in Japan. Made by heating and then drying skipjack tuna meat (Katsuwonus pelamis), or “katsuo” in Japanese, katsuobushi is as hard as its woodlike appearance would suggest. When shaved, however, its flakes, called kezuribushi, comes out thin enough to see through, dancing with a slight breeze or heat. The subtle yet profound flavor extracted from these shaved flakes shape the very foundations of Japanese food culture. Kezuribushi begets dashi soup stock, the base of so much Japanese cuisine, and can be adapted to all kinds of dishes.