How To Make Tonjiru (Pork And Vegetable Miso Soup)
Not satisfied with a simple Japanese miso soup? Why not try the hearty and substantial Tonjiru instead? It promises a new perspective on Japanese miso soup!
Tonjiru, a type of miso soup, is renowned for its rich flavor, courtesy of its diverse ingredients. The key player in Tonjiru is sliced pork, as indicated by the dish's name – 'Ton (豚)' means 'pork' in English. Optimal for Tonjiru is pork belly, imparting delicious richness and savory umami flavor.
In addition to pork, various vegetables, particularly root vegetables like carrots and burdock root, give Tonjiru distinct flavors. Burdock root, in particular, enhances the overall balance of taste and flavor. One bowl of Tonjiru and rice might be more satisfying than a simple miso soup and rice.
While you can find Tonjiru in some restaurants, it's often a homemade dish with families having their preferences for ingredients. In today's recipe, we will provide a basic Tonjiru recipe using pork, Japanese radish, carrot, burdock root, onion, konjac, and Japanese leek. Some variations include tofu, taro, potato, sweet potato, cabbage, Shiitake mushroom, Shimeji mushroom, etc. To add spice, grated ginger is sometimes used as an accent.
Tonjiru is a versatile recipe that helps avoid vegetable wastage, allowing the use of leftover vegetables, excluding those with a strong flavor like celery and green pepper.
Moreover, the flavor and taste improve the day after preparation, so making Tonjiru in large quantities is a great idea.
Tonjiru is synonymous with winter for Japanese people, often served at community gatherings like rice cake pounding events and New Year's celebrations at shrines. Why not warm up at home with Tonjiru during the chilly season?
Overview
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Total servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 100 g Thinly Sliced Pork Belly
- 150 g Japanese Radish (Daikon)
- 50 g Carrot
- 30 g Burdock Root
- 150 g Onion
- 100 g Konjac (Konnyaku)
- 30 g Japanese Leek (Naga Negi or Tokyo Negi)
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 tsp Sesame or Cooking Oil
- 500 ml Dashi Stock*
- 2 Tbsp Miso, divided into 1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Shichimi (Japanese 7 Spice Blend), as needed
- Chopped Green Onions, as needed
- 1 L Water (for making dashi)
- 20 g Dried Bonito Flakes (for making dashi)
- 10 g Dried Kombu (for making dashi)
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