Bonito fish flakes are arguably one of the most crucial basic ingredients in most Japanese cuisine. These paper-thin shavings of dried fish are the most commonly-used ingredient for making dashi; the umami-rich soup stock that goes into nearly all Japanese soups, noodle dishes, sauces and seasonings. For a great range of dashi made from a variety of different ingredients, check out Japan Centre's Dashi & Noodle Stock selection.