Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
Heisei Ago Dashi Pack (ヘイセイ あご入り鰹ふりだし)
The story behind it
Flying fish, called ago along the Sanin coast, skim over the early-summer Sea of Japan. The fish is lean and cleanly savory, and grilling then drying it produces yaki-ago, the most prized dashi ingredient in both Sanin and Kyushu.
Heisei, in the port town of Sakaiminato, blends that yaki-ago with hon-kare katsuobushi, Rishiri kombu, and shiitake into a teabag-style dashi. Simmer it for 3 to 4 minutes and you get a clear, golden dashi.
It has been a Sanin souvenir staple for years. Tear the bag open and the contents work as a seasoning on their own, so one product does two jobs.
How to use it
Use it as the dashi for miso soup, udon broth, or takikomi gohan (rice cooked with the broth). Tear a bag open and sprinkle the powder into fried rice or a vegetable stir-fry for a savory base.