Ingredients
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9 oz (250 g) firm Tofu
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8 Shiitake Mushrooms
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2.4 litres (4 pints/10 cups) Primary Dashi Stock
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2 tbsp toasted Sesame Oil
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10½ oz (300 g) Pork
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4½ oz (125 g) Leeks
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4½ oz (125 g) Carrots
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4½ oz (125 g) Parsnips
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4½ oz (125 g) white Radish
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12 tbsp White Miso
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7 oz (200 g) Sake
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1-2 tbsp Soy Sauce
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1¾ oz (50 g) Watercress
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2 tbsp finely sliced spring Onion
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Shichimi Pepper
Directions
A winter favourite, Tonjiru is a hearty miso soup made with sliced pork belly and chunky root vegetables. Here, I also use sake kasu, the lees left over from sake making, as it imparts great depth of flavour. Any combination of vegetables will work well in this soup, my favourite is simply carrot and white radish, but you can also use potatoes, pumpkin, Jerusalem artichokes or burdock. There are many variations of tonjiru soup in Japan, and each family will have their own version.
Steps
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1
Done
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First press the tofu. Place it in a colander over a bowl, top with a clean plate or lid and weigh it down using a 1 kg (2¼lb) weight for a couple of hours. This will eliminate water, make the tofu firmer and stop it from breaking into smaller pieces in the soup. Cut the pressed tofu into 1 cm (½ inch) squares. |
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2
Done
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If using dry shiitake mushrooms, they will need to be rehydrated. To do this, add the shiitake mushrooms to a bowl and cover with warm water and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Leave to rehydrate for 30-60 minutes, squeeze out the water, remove the stem and cut them in half. The mushroom water can be used for making the dashi in this recipe for added flavour. |
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3
Done
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Prepare the Primary Dashi, if using. |
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4
Done
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In a large pan, heat the sesame oil and fry the pork belly slices until the meat is whitened and no longer pink, about 2-4 minutes. Add the leek, carrots, burdock, white radish and shiitake mushrooms to the pan along with the Primary Dashi, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through but still retaining some bite. From time to time, remove any scum that rises to the surface. |
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5
Done
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Transfer a couple of ladles of the dashi liquid into a separate bowl, add the white miso and, using a whisk, stir well until the miso is completely dissolved. Return this mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Add the sake lees and tofu to the pan and stir well but gently. Cook for a further minute, check for seasoning and adjust by adding more miso or a little soy sauce if necessary. |
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6
Done
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Share out the watercress between 6 individual bowls, pour the hot soup into the bowls, sprinkle some sliced spring onions (scallions) on top, finishing off with a dusting of shichimi pepper before serving. |
