Dashi (出汁, だし) is a class of soup an cooking stocks considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. Shizuo Tsuji (1980) wrote that "many substitutes for dashi are possible, but without dashi, dishes are merely a la japonaise and lack the authentic flavor." Dashi forms the base for miso soups, clear broth soups, Japanese noodle broths, and many Japanese simmering liquids.