Buta Daikon (Simmered Pork and Daikon)
豚だいこん · Buta Daikon
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Buta daikon is a homey Japanese simmered dish: thin slices of pork cooked with daikon radish, carrot and shirataki noodles in a gentle dashi broth seasoned with miso and soy sauce. Daikon soaks up the flavor of the pork and broth as it simmers, turning soft and sweet, which is exactly what makes it so easy for little ones to eat. A quick rub of flour keeps the pork tender rather than tough, and letting the pot cool before serving lets the flavors sink deep into every piece.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 45 gthinly sliced pork (komagire)Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- 34.5 gdaikon radish
- 18 gcarrot
- 9 gshirataki (konjac noodles)Translucent, chewy, very low-calorie noodles made from konjac yam, sold in water-filled packs. Substitute: Glass noodles, or omit.
Seasonings
- 2.4 gflour
- 1.5 gvegetable oil
- 70.5 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 1 gsugar
- 0.8 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 3.9 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- 1 gsoy sauce
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- thinly sliced pork (komagire) (豚こま切れ肉)
- Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- shirataki (konjac noodles) (糸こんにゃく)
- Translucent, chewy, very low-calorie noodles made from konjac yam, sold in water-filled packs. Substitute: Glass noodles, or omit.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
Directions
Video is in Japanese and may show a different version of this dish (other ingredients or steps). Follow the ingredients and steps on this page, especially when cooking for allergies.
- 1
Cut the pork into 2 to 3 cm wide pieces and rub the flour into them. (Pork turns out tough if cooked as is, so rubbing in the flour first is the key to keeping it tender!)
- 2
Cut the daikon and carrot into small quarter-rounds (ichogiri) about 5 mm thick. Cut the shirataki into 2 cm lengths. (Use the type that needs no pre-boiling to remove bitterness.)
- 3
Heat the oil in a pot, add the daikon and carrot, and stir-fry over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the pork, reduce to low heat, and cook, breaking the pieces apart, until the pork changes color.
- 4
Pour in the dashi stock, bring to a boil, and skim off any scum. Add the shirataki, sugar, and mirin, cover with a drop lid (otoshibuta), and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the miso and soy sauce, cover with the drop lid again, and simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes. Leave everything in the pot to cool so the flavors soak in.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 126 kcal | 252 kcal | 126 kcal |
| Protein | 10.5 g | 21 g | 10.5 g |
| Fat | 6.5 g | 12.9 g | 6.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.7 g | 15.3 g | 7.7 g |
| Fiber | 1.2 g | 2.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Calcium | 25.5 mg | 51 mg | 25.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 361.5 mg | 723 mg | 361.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 126 kcal | 10.5 g | 6.5 g | 7.7 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g | 25.5 mg | 0.5 mg | 361.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 252 kcal | 21 g | 12.9 g | 15.3 g | 2.4 g | 1.2 g | 51 mg | 0.9 mg | 723 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
