Tonjiru in a hearty winter miso soup made with bits and pieces of root vegetables and pork. It's a perfect way to use up vegetable peelings like carrot and potato skins, or the end pieces of daikon or burdock, the green tip of leeks or even a few shreds of cabbage. Feel free to improvise with the vegetables, generally aiming for about 2 cups total. This is easy to make and a great way to increase your fiber. It's as delicious as it is healthy.
Earnest and Yuri Migaki are miso makers in Portland, Oregon. You can find their misos, including soybean, chickpea, and more, and great miso-sesame sauce under the brand Jorinji. Yuri created this recipe to showcase the depth of flavor their miso imparts. By adding Umi noodles, this becomes a whole meal. Tonjiru is a natural to add to your regular routine. We've added it to ours.
Active time: 15 minutes | Easy | Makes 3 servings
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 ounces daikon radish (about 2 inches of a medium-sized root)
2 ounces carrots (about half a medium root)
1 ounce burdock aka gobo (about a 4-inch piece)
1 ounce leek (the middle to top two inches)
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 pound pork rib or loin, cut into small bite-sized pieces
4 cups water
4 tablespoons miso (ideally Jorinji)
1 package (12 ounces) Umi Organic ramen noodles
1 green onion, minced
Chili oil to taste
Directions
1. Cut the daikon radish and carrot into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Make a stack of radishes and slice them in half, creating half rounds, and then in half the opposite way, making quarter rounds. Stack the carrots and cut them in half, making half rounds. Wash the burdock and cut thick slices at a diagonal. Wash the leek thoroughly, cut it in half from top to bottom, then cut the halves again from top to bottom. Cut into 1-inch segments.
2. In a medium pot over medium heat, heat sesame oil. Add daikon, carrots, burdock, leek and ginger. Stir fry until daikon becomes semi-translucent. Add pork and stir fry until the surface whitens.
3. Add water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the veggies become tender. Turn off the heat and add miso, stirring well to combine. (A good trick is to place 1 tablespoon of miso at a time in a ladle, scoop up enough broth to fill ladle, stir until smooth, add to pot and repeat.)
4. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add noodles, stir, and cook in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well.
5. Divide noodles between the bowls and pour soup into them. Top with green onions and optional chili oil.
