Dashi Broth (local dish) (だし (郷土料理))
Dashi is a local dish originated from the inland region of Yamagata Prefecture. It is a dish using vegetables and potherbs minced together and dressed with soy sauce. It can be relished by sousing it over boiled rice or tofu soybean curd.
Recipe
Mince cooled vegetables into 5mm squares to be mixed together, adding such seasonings as soy sauce, sake (Japanese liquor), umami-chomiryo (chemical seasoning) and others, and then let them soak for a few hours or one night before eating. Usable are such summer vegetables as eggplants and cucumbers, as well as a small quantity of shiso (Japanese basil), myoga (Japanese ginger), leeks, shoga (ginger) and so on. Of course, you can select any vegetable available nearby as ingredients, like carrots, green peppers and other vegetables left in your refrigerator. Okra, kelp and natto-konbu (sliced konbu kelp dipped in vinegar) may be used to make Dashi gruel. Characteristically, each Dashi has a different flavor depending on the house where it was cooked.
Serving Manner
When prepared, Dashi is usually served on a large platter from which each guest takes an adequate quantity to put over their own rice in a bowl. Also, Dashi is often served as a spice for cold tofu by pouring it onto tofu. Another tasting way of eating Dashi is to mingle it with the same quantity of soba-tsuyu (seasoning soy sauce) to add a special flavor to soba noodles.
History
Its birthplace is Obanazawa City, famous for the Hanagasa-ondo dance.
Local pronunciation of the word 'Dashi' in Obanazawa sounds like 'Dasu' because 'shi' is pronounced with a nasal vowel similar to 'su.'
"Da" is accented. Dashi became widely known in Japan since Daniel Kahl, an American entertainer who lives in Yamagata Prefecture, introduced it on a TV program, 'Kyo-no-Ryori' (today's dish), of NHK National Educational Television of Japan Broadcasting Corporation. The Dashi recipe, introduced by Kahl, has topped the list as the most inquired from viewers of the TV program 'Kyo-no-Ryori' aired this year.