Dashi

Pale gold to amber liquid, surface-still, no fat. Aroma is sea-breeze and toasted bonito; taste is glutamate-inosinate umami synergy that hits before salt registers. Drunk hot, plain, it tastes like dawn ocean.

Kombu releases L-glutamate at 60°C — boil it and you get bitter alginate. Katsuobushi releases inosinate at 80°C — simmer it and you get fishy. Hold each at its sweet spot, then strain immediately. The 7-8x umami synergy between the two acids is the load-bearing trick.