Tonjiru

Tonjiru, pork soup, is basically miso soup made with pork and vegetables. It is very warm and filling on a winter's day. Personally, I think you could have this as your meal, because of all the wonderful ingredients, but (I believe) it is usually served in place of miso soup.

Tonjiru

OK, this is a recipe that I have never learned, nor do I have a recipe for it. I just kind of winged it and because it had pork and miso in it, I called it tonjiru. This is what I used pictured above:

4 cups water
1 tsp. hondashi
250 grams thinly sliced pork (such as for shabu-shabu)
1/2 carrot
1/3 daikon
1/2 gobo (burdock root)
1 potato
8 small shitake mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 block konnyaku
4 Tbsp. miso
1 Tbsp. oil
green onion

Prepare gobo by washing; do not peel but do take off dirt and small roots. Julienne or cut into small pieces, then soak in water with about a teaspoon of vinegar until the water turns brown. Drain into a sieve, then rinse. Put the konnyaku into a small pot and cover with cold water; bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. Drain konnyaku, allow it to cool and then cut into bite-sized pieces with a spoon. Cut carrot, potato and daikon into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces.

In a large pan, heat oil, then stir-fry the pork. After the pork has changed color, add carrot, potato, daikon, gobo and konnyaku. When the edges of the daikon start to look clear, add mushrooms and fry a bit longer. Add water and hondashi. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrot and daikon are soft. Turn off the heat, and add the miso. Serve in bowls with green onion.