Gomoku-jiru (Five-Ingredient Soup)
五目汁 · Gomoku-jiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Gomoku means "five kinds," and this soup lives up to its name: carrot, onion, pork, aburaage and spinach all simmered together in dashi. The vegetables are cut into short, thin pieces so they are easy for small mouths, and the pork and fried tofu give the light broth a comforting savory depth. Seasoned with just a little soy sauce, mirin and salt, it is the kind of everyday soup that rounds out a school lunch tray and gets children eating their vegetables without a fuss.
Wheat-free, but uses soy sauce (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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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
- 8.4 gcarrot
- 14.7 gonion
- 15.8 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.
- 3 gaburaage (fried tofu pouch)Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- 12.6 gspinach
Seasonings
- 150 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.
- 2.1 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.
- 2.1 gsoy sauce
- 0.3 gsalt
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.
- aburaage (fried tofu pouch) (油揚げ)
- Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- 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.
Directions
- 1
Cut the carrot into short matchsticks and the onion into thin slices, then cut the slices in half. Cut the pork into 1 to 2 cm wide pieces. Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil, then cut it into short thin strips. Cut the spinach into 2 cm lengths and boil it.
- 2
Pour the dashi stock into a pot, add the carrot, onion, pork and aburaage, and simmer. Once the vegetables are cooked through, add the seasonings and simmer a little longer.
- 3
Just before serving, add the boiled spinach.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 58.5 kcal | 117 kcal | 58.5 kcal |
| Protein | 5.1 g | 10.2 g | 5.1 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g | 5.4 g | 2.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.9 g | 7.8 g | 3.9 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 25.5 mg | 51 mg | 25.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Potassium | 295.5 mg | 591 mg | 295.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 58.5 kcal | 5.1 g | 2.7 g | 3.9 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 25.5 mg | 0.6 mg | 295.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 117 kcal | 10.2 g | 5.4 g | 7.8 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 51 mg | 1.2 mg | 591 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.
