Whether you call it broth or stock (though there is a difference), it's perfect as the base ... traditional vegetable stock may be missing. Robust and earthy, umami is what makes both miso soup ...

deep umami flavor. The other key to making miso soup is dashi, Japanese stock. It’s quick and easy if you have the needed ingredients: kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes).

When Washoku, or Japanese cuisine, became UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, the flavor called umami became ... consume traditional foods, so businesses are holding dashi tastings ...

In Japan, they use them as the base for vegetarian dashi, and, in China, cooks sauté shiitakes to add savory umami flavor to vegetarian stir-fries. Dallas chef Tim Byres even uses them to make ...