Kombu Dashi Shrimp Soup with Shiitake and Daikon
Clear kombu-infused broth with fully cooked shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, tender daikon, spinach and scallions.
Ingredients
- 1 piece dried food-grade kombu about 8 g; roughly 4 by 4 inches
- 4 cups cold water for broth
- 1 lb raw peeled and deveined shrimp thawed if frozen
- 5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced, stems removed
- 1 cup daikon radish thin quarter-moon slices
- 2 cups baby spinach washed
- 3 whole scallions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce adjust after tasting
- 1 tsp neutral oil for aromatics
- 0.5 tsp toasted sesame oil optional finish
Instructions
- Place kombu in four cups cold water for 20 minutes. Warm gently over medium-low heat and remove kombu just before simmering.
- In a separate soup pot, warm neutral oil, white scallion pieces and ginger for 45 seconds without browning.
- Pour in strained kombu broth. Add daikon and shiitake. Simmer gently about 8 to 10 minutes until the radish is tender.
- Add raw shrimp and cook gently just until firm, pearly and opaque throughout, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on size.
- Stir in spinach until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with soy sauce and taste before adding extra salt.
- Ladle into warm bowls and top with scallion greens and optional sesame oil. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Notes
Begin with food-grade dried kombu; remove it before the broth boils. Use fresh properly refrigerated seafood, cook shrimp fully until opaque and pearly, and refrigerate leftovers promptly. This is a kombu-only dashi, not bonito dashi.