Take a 10g piece of konbu (dried Japanese seaweed), cut a few slits in it before placing in a pot with 1 litre (4 cups) water. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, removing any scum which rises to the surface. Turn off the heat at the 10-minute mark and discard the konbu*.

Bring the stock up to a boil and add 10g katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) – around 1 packed cup. Turn off after 30 seconds and let steep for 10 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve, squeezing all the liquid from the bonito flakes. Discard the bonito flakes*.

You now have your dashi ready to be used.

To make a 250ml bowl of miso soup:

Heat up 250ml dashi in a small pot.

In a small bowl add 12g (1 tbsp) each of white and red miso (or just use white). Stir in a couple tbsp hot dashi to loosen the paste, removing lumps as you go along. Add the paste back to the pot and stir to combine.

Serve, optionally adding sliced spring onions, wakame (Japanese seaweed), and tofu as toppings. 

* You can also save the konbu and bonito flakes to make a ‘second dashi’, which is a lighter broth to be used for everyday cooking.