Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup) 豚汁

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb thinly sliced pork belly

• 6 inches gobo (burdock root)

• 4 inches carrot

• 2 inches daikon (radish)

• 1 onion

• 1/2 pack konnyaku

• 1 stalk negi

• 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch)

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 6 cups dashi (for soup, 1:1 ratio with miso)

• 6 tbsp miso (for soup, 1:1 ratio with dashi)

• green onion (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients - skin gobo, carrot, daikon, then shave gobo pieces and rinse/soak in water, cut daikon into thin quarter-circle slices, cut carrot into thin half-circle slices, boil konnyaku and cut into thin rectangular slices, slice negi diagonally, thinly slice aburaage, cut green onions, cut pork belly into one-inch pieces

2. Stir fry meat & vegetables - heat some sesame oil in a large pot, add pork belly and onions, then daikon, carrot and gobo, then konnyaku, aburaage, negi and finally dashi (to cover all vegetables)

3. Simmer - bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for ~15 minutes (until all vegetables are tender)

4. Add rest of ingredients - add in grated ginger and miso (best to place miso in a strainer and use spoon to help incorporate it)

5. Serve it up - scoop up soup & cooked ingredients into a soup bowl and garnish with some green onions

6. Enjoy!