Dashi
I make dashi with water, dried bonito and seaweed,
and maybe a few drops of soy sauce for added flavor.
A simple broth, assembled by hand to enhance, a
concept mislaid in this pre-packaged world.
Today I have blown three notes through the shakuhachi,
each one separate, but all gathered under one roof
for no tangible purpose, released to entropy
and the drops coalescing on the window.
We never know what stew will result from the day’s
efforts, whose lips will force air through which root
end. I close my eyes and imagine the second note’s
shape, how it bells over raindrops to absorb
their sound, bending into the third note spiraling up
and away from my hands, my eyes, my breath.
* * *
“Dashi” and “Inheritance” first appeared in The Closed Eye Open, a publication focusing on consciousness. Many thanks to editors Daniel A. Morgan, Maya Highland and Aaron Lelito for taking this piece.
O at the Edges 
I’m under the weather, just read this, and decided to make dashi and drink it slowly. All the ingredients are here, and now I have the recipe. Thank you. 🙂
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I haven’t made dashi since I contracted COVID in March, 2020. I think it’s about time!
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Coincidentally, it’s Covid that I’m under the weather with! Maybe dashi is the answer.
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Eek!
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Love that pondering of second note’s shape & interaction with third note!
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I never get that feeling with the guitar, but the shakuhachi is another story!
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Hi Bob! Long time no message! I have been meaning to make dashi for weeks now. I bought some shiro miso intending to make my own miso soup then discovered there are whole other ingredients I need that I do not have. For such a simple broth, recipes I have come across online seem pretty complicated (or just verbose and full of memoir haha).
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Howdy! Simple is best. Basically, you need kombu, dried bonito and water. Add a piece of kombu about two or three inches long to a quart of water. Bring this to a good simmer, then turn off the heat. Add an ounce of bonito flakes, stir, and let it sit for at least five minutes. I generally add a few drops of soy sauce at this stage. Then strain it. Dashi!
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Thanks! I’m heading into the city tomorrow so will make a point of going to an asian grocer! Do you just stir in the shiro miso at the end?
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Yes. It’s incredibly simple. Just remember that a little miso goes a long way (and you can always add more). 😀
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