Shoyu Tare

also called shoyu tare · shōyu tare · 醤油ダレ · soy tare · ramen seasoning base · ramen tare · soy sauce base for ramen · kaeshi

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Shoyu Tare: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
The broth is unseasoned; this is the two spoonfuls in the bottom of the bowl that make it shoyu ramen.
1/4 cup(60 mL)sakeboil the alcohol off 2 minwarm to 160°F (70°C), steep 10 minstrain and bottle
1/4 cup(60 mL)mirin
1 Tbs(12 g)dark brown sugar
1 piece(4 in)kombusteep cold 8 hr
2(whole)dried shiitake
1 cup(240 mL; dark Japanese soy)koikuchi soy sauce
1/2 cup(5 g)katsuobushi
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.9 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2boil the alcohol off 2 min

3steep cold 8 hr

4warm to 160°F (70°C), steep 10 min

goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 8 hr 10 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

One of the 4 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 8 hr 30 min.

  1. steep cold 8 hr

    8 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  2. boil the alcohol off 2 min

    2 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. warm to 160°F (70°C), steep 10 min

    10 minwalk away8 hr in

  4. strain and bottle

    not timed8 hr 10 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need saucepan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Shoyu Tare
>> category: Sauces & Gravies
>> tags: japanese, soy sauce, ramen, seasoning, make-ahead
>> counters: Ramen Shop
>> aka: shoyu tare, shōyu tare, 醤油ダレ, soy tare, ramen seasoning base, ramen tare, soy sauce base for ramen, kaeshi
>> pairs-with: shoyu-ramen, chashu, dashi
>> servings: 10
>> time: 8 hr 30 min
>> step.1: The broth is unseasoned; this is the two spoonfuls in the bottom of the bowl that make it shoyu ramen.
>> step.2: steep cold 8 hr
>> step.3: boil the alcohol off 2 min
>> step.4: warm to 160°F (70°C), steep 10 min
>> step.5: strain and bottle

The broth is unseasoned; this is the two spoonfuls in the bottom of the bowl that make it shoyu ramen.

Steep @kombu{1%piece}(4 in) and @dried shiitake{2}(whole) in @koikuchi soy sauce{1%cup}(240 mL; dark Japanese soy) in a jar in the fridge ~steep{8%hr}. Cold and slow is the point — heat pulls tannin out of the kombu and the shiitake goes muddy.

Boil @sake{1/4%cup}(60 mL), @mirin{1/4%cup}(60 mL) and @dark brown sugar{1%Tbs}(12 g) in a #saucepan{} ~boil{2%min}, until the raw alcohol smell has gone and the pan smells sweet.

Warm @&(~1)sweetened sake{} with @&(~2)steeped soy{} to 160°F (70°C), drop in @katsuobushi{1/2%cup}(5 g) and ~steep{10%min} off the heat. It must not boil: this is seasoning, not stock, and boiled soy sauce goes flat and harsh at the same time.

Strain @&(~1)tare{} through a fine sieve into a clean bottle. It keeps a month in the fridge and only improves in the first week. Two tablespoons in the bottom of a bowl, then the broth on top.