Dashi is actually pretty simple to make. All your missing is some konbu. Here is a page to get you started:

japanesefood.about.com/librar...00a.htm

All you need is kombu to make the broth with the bonito flakes.

Kombu is available wherever other dried seaweed is available. It's thick and hard.

Just bring water to nearly a boil, turn heat down to simmer (don't EVER let the water reach a full boil), throw in the kombu for a while. Then throw in the bonito flakes. Wait awhile. Then take out the kombu, strain out the flakes. There's your homemade dashi broth.

Using a wisk and strainer, wisk in the miso paste within the strainer while submerged in the broth, to strain out the grit. Taste it along the way and keep adding more miso until it's as salty as you like. Add your favorite ingredients (tofu, green onions, mushrooms, seaweed, whatever), and it's ready! It will be so much better than what most restaurants serve.

Hopefully someone has more specific times and amounts for you, but you don't really need them after you've done it once.

Hi tiny, I posted my home style little effort in the "allergies" topic, its without the wonderful broths you can get in japan... but it is so quick and easy, that it has become a popular meal at my house.

I am hoping someone can contribute an easy home style meat broth too though,- which in japanese ramen shops are a heavily garded secret!