Dried bonito flakes, also known as katsuobushi, are thin shavings of dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna. Katsuo-kezuri-bushi or hana katsuo are names for thinly shaved bonito cut using a kezuriki, a traditional wooden shaving box. Dried bonito flakes are mostly commonly steeped briefly in boiling water to make an exceptional soup broth (dashi) or as a topping for dishes such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and yakisoba.
Uses: Make a simple dashi by bringing 10 grams of kombu and 1000 grams of water to a boil. Add 10 grams of katsuobushi and let steep off the heat for 60 seconds and then strain. The solids can be discarded or repurposed for another use such as homemade furikake.