Dining with the Chef

Cook Around Japan: Kagawa - The Traditional Iriko Dashi Broth

Alongside the dashi made from bonito flakes and kombu kelp, there is another dashi beloved by the people of Japan: iriko dashi, made from iriko, or dried baby sardines. In this episode, we're following Chef Yuri Nomura on her travels in Kagawa Prefecture as she learns more about iriko dashi, visiting people who make delicious iriko. Kagawa is famous for udon noodles, and there are udon noodle shops in Kagawa that make their soup with dashi made using only the finest iriko. We'll visit the fishers and processing plant to discover the secrets behind this clear yet rich and flavorful dashi broth and find out how to pre-treat the baby sardines to avoid any "fishy" off flavors, for delicious rice cooked with plenty of iriko — a local favorite! We'll also learn about a great blend of iriko and nuts that goes perfectly with drinks, and which makes a great first step into working with iriko!