Ripe tomatoes are briefly poached in a light kombu-katsuobushi dashi and served lukewarm or chilled. Rice vinegar and soy sauce keep the flavor fresh; toasted sesame seeds and shiso add texture and a herbal note to every bite.
Dashi tomatoes are a light, modern way to give a vegetable flavor without overpowering it. The base is dashi: in this version, a broth made with kombu and katsuobushi, or dried bonito. Kombu brings a soft, rounded umami; the bonito gives the broth a more savory, lightly smoky character. Together, they remain subtle enough for tomatoes, which are already juicy and aromatic. Use ripe but firm tomatoes so they hold their shape after peeling and poaching.
This dish really comes into its own when tomatoes are fully ripe, usually in summer and early fall. Out of season, you can use firm vine tomatoes; avoid overripe, watery ones, which fall apart more easily. Brief poaching warms the tomatoes and lets the outside take on the broth. Then, resting them in the dashi gives the flavors time to come together. Don’t expect the tomatoes to taste completely like broth all the way through: it’s the contrast between juicy, fresh flesh and a savory outer layer that makes this dish interesting.
Removing the skin is more than a neat finishing touch. Without it, the surface absorbs a little dashi more easily, and the tomatoes are nicer to eat with a spoon or fork. A quick blanch makes peeling easy; then poach them gently and avoid a hard boil, which can split the tomatoes. If you have time, let them cool completely in the broth. Serve them chilled on a warm day or at room temperature alongside rice, grilled fish, or tofu.
Rice vinegar and soy sauce make a small, sharp dressing: the vinegar brightens the tomatoes, while the soy deepens the umami. Taste before adding extra salt; the dashi and soy sauce already bring plenty of savoriness. Toasted sesame seeds add a nutty, dry crunch. Shiso has a distinct green aroma; if you can’t find it, thinly sliced Thai basil is a useful alternative, though it changes the character of the dish. For a vegetarian version, you can replace the katsuobushi with dried shiitake and steep them with the kombu to make the broth. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and eat them within two days.
Put 700 ml water and the kombu in a saucepan. Let stand for 10 minutes. Heat slowly until the water is almost boiling, then remove the kombu. Turn off the heat, add the katsuobushi, and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer.
Bring plenty of water to a boil. Use a small knife to score a cross on the bottom of each tomato. Immerse them in the boiling water for 20–30 seconds, transfer them to cold water, then peel off the skin.
Pour the strained dashi back into the pan and bring it gently to a simmer. Add the tomatoes and poach them over low heat for 1–2 minutes, turning them carefully halfway through. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tomatoes cool in the dashi.
Stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Cover the cooled tomatoes in their dashi and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or let them cool briefly if you want to serve them lukewarm.
Carefully lift the tomatoes out of the dashi and divide them among four small plates. Spoon the dressing over them. Cut the shiso leaves into thin strips and scatter them over the tomatoes along with the sesame seeds.
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