Bonito

Japanese name

 * katsuo

About bonito or skipjack tuna
Bonito is a type of tuna (skipjack), which is a member of the mackerel family, and one of the most important fish in Japanese cuisine. Rarely eaten fresh, the dark, oily meat is dried into very hard cubes, which must be ground or shaved with a special tool before use. Bonito shavings form the base for many Japanese sauces and stocks (such as dashi, made with bonito and seaweed).