Ton Jiru

(Pork & Vegetable Miso Soup)

Ingredients

½ container Soft Aloha Tofu　

¼ pound thinly sliced pork, cut into small pieces

½ cup carrots, finely julienned　

½ cup daikon, finely julienned

½ cup gobo, sasagaki (see below)

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely julienned　

4 cups dashi

5-6 tablespoons miso

vegetable oil or sesame oil as needed

Cooking Directions

1. In a pot, place vegetable oil or sesame oil and pork, and stir to loosen up the pork pieces.   Then, place the pot over medium heat, add vegetables, and quickly sauté. 

3.  Add dashi to the pot, and once it starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked. In the meantime, keep skimming the scum that rises to the top.

4.  Mix in miso to the soup, and add cubed Tofu, cook for a short time and it is ready!

Quick Tip

The quantities of the vegetables listed above are only a guideline, and you can adjust depending on your preference.  Garnishing with finely chopped green onions will give a colorful finishing touch.  You can use vegetables of your choice (satoimo (dasheen), pumpkin, sweet potato, onions, etc.).  If you choose to use more vegetables, please increase the amount of soup stock and miso.

What is Gobo Sasagaki?

Sasagaki is a cutting method, which means shaving vegetables into small thin stripes like sasa (bamboo) leaves, and that is why it is called sasagaki.  When cutting a vegetable using this sasagaki method, rotate the vegetable like sharpening a pencil.  Gobo has strong bitterness, so cut gobo using this sasagaki method over a bowl of water and soak the gobo shavings in the water to remove bitterness.