Tonjiru Recipe - Japanese Pork Miso Soup, No Dashi Needed
Ingredients
120 g thinly sliced pork belly
Coles pork belly slices are handy for this.
60 g daikon
1/3 carrot (about 40 g)
70 g red sweet potato
1/3 onion (about 50 g)
3-4 fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 40 g)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 small knob ginger, thinly sliced
600 ml water
3 tbsp miso
spring onion, thinly sliced (optional)
ichimi togarashi (optional, to serve)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ingredients
Cut the sliced pork into easy-to-eat pieces. Peel the daikon, carrot and red sweet potato. Cut the vegetables: Daikon: 5 mm quarter rounds. Carrot: 5 mm half moons. Onion: 5 mm slices. Shiitake: trim off the stems and slice the caps thinly. Red sweet potato: large bite-size pieces, then rinse briefly in water and drain in a colander.
- 2
Cook the vegetables and pork
Once the ingredients are ready, add the sesame oil to a pot and place it over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Spread the pork over the vegetables, loosening the slices with chopsticks as you add them. Turn the heat back on to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes, keeping everything moving gently, until the pork starts to change colour. If the pork sticks to the bottom or side of the pot, take the pot off the heat first, then loosen the meat. It is much easier to lift away when the pot is off the heat.
- 3
Simmer with the first miso
Add the water to the pot, then add the sliced ginger. Increase the heat and bring it to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, then dissolve in half of the miso, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 7-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- 4
Add the remaining miso
Turn off the heat, then dissolve in the remaining miso. The saltiness will depend on the miso you use, so add it gradually and adjust to taste.
- 5
Serve
Serve hot in bowls. Add sliced spring onion and a little ichimi togarashi, Japanese chilli powder, if you like.
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Useful for this recipe
Tomoka's Note
Tonjiru is a hearty miso soup with pork and vegetables. It feels more like a small meal than a light soup, and for me it is the kind of cozy soup I want on a cold winter night. Miso soup usually starts with dashi, but this tonjiru does not need it. Because there are plenty of vegetables and pork, the soup gets flavour from the ingredients themselves, along with the miso. That is one of the things I like about it. I always use vegetables that are easy to buy at supermarkets or local fruit and vegetable stores. Daikon, shiitake and red sweet potato are my favourites for tonjiru. Red sweet potato adds a gentle sweetness, so if you see it, I think it is worth trying here. A little leek or green beans would also be lovely. For the miso, I used Spiral Organic shiro miso and Spiral aka miso, which I bought at IGA. I used 2 tablespoons of shiro miso and 1 tablespoon of aka miso. Shiro miso alone is perfectly fine, but I like adding a little red miso because it gives the soup a deeper flavour. For a simple miso soup, I usually add miso at the very end and try not to boil it. Tonjiru is a little different. I like adding the miso in two parts so some of the miso flavour can soak into the vegetables while they simmer.
FAQ
Why does this tonjiru use water instead of dashi?
The pork and vegetables give the soup plenty of flavour, especially when they are cooked in a little sesame oil first. Water keeps this version simple and still makes a comforting bowl of tonjiru.
What kind of miso should I use?
White miso is a good place to start because it is easy to use and gentle in flavour. If you have red miso, adding a little can make the soup taste deeper and richer.
Can I make tonjiru ahead of time?
Yes. Tonjiru is often even nicer after the flavours have settled. Reheat it gently and try not to boil it strongly after the final miso has been added.