Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Slice pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Soak burdock root in water for 5 minutes to remove astringency, then drain. Prepare all other vegetables as described.

2. 2

   Heat sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add pork belly and cook until browned. Add daikon, carrot, burdock root, konjac, and taro. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened.

3. 3

   Pour in dashi stock, sake, and mirin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, skim off any foam, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

4. 4

   Turn off the heat. Ladle some hot soup into a small bowl, dissolve the miso paste in it, then return the dissolved miso to the pot. Stir well. Do not boil the soup after adding miso, as it can degrade the miso flavor.

5. 5

   Ladle the Tonjiru into serving bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of Shichimi Togarashi if desired.