Sesame Miso Kinpira
胡麻味噌きんぴら · Goma Miso Kinpira
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Kinpira is a classic Japanese side dish of thinly cut root vegetables stir-fried and simmered until the seasoning soaks in. This version swaps the usual soy sauce for miso and finishes with a scattering of white sesame seeds, which gives it a rounder, nuttier flavor that children find easy to like. The burdock root is simmered gently in dashi until soft, so even little ones can chew it comfortably, and a few green beans add a touch of color to the lunch tray.
Wheat-free, but uses miso (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
- 15 ggobo (burdock root)A long, slender, earthy-tasting root vegetable with a pleasant crunch, usually scraped rather than peeled. Substitute: Parsnip or carrot.
- 19.5 gcarrot
- 10.5 gshirataki (konjac noodles)Translucent, chewy, very low-calorie noodles made from konjac yam, sold in water-filled packs. Substitute: Glass noodles, or omit.
- 9 ggreen beans
Seasonings
- 1.5 gvegetable oil
- 34.5 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.
- 1.8 gsakeSake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- 1 gsugar
- 2.3 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.
- 1.2 gwhite sesame seeds
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- gobo (burdock root) (ごぼう)
- A long, slender, earthy-tasting root vegetable with a pleasant crunch, usually scraped rather than peeled. Substitute: Parsnip or carrot.
- 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.
- sake (酒)
- Sake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- 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
- 1
Cut the burdock root and carrot into thin matchsticks about 4 cm long.
- 2
Cut the shirataki into 2 cm lengths (use the type that needs no pre-boiling to remove bitterness). Boil the green beans in hot water for 3 to 4 minutes.
- 3
Heat the oil in a pot, add the burdock root and carrot from step 1, and stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the shirataki, dashi stock, sake, and sugar, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the burdock root is soft.
- 4
Add the miso, boiled green beans, and white sesame seeds, and stir-fry briefly while letting the remaining liquid cook off.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 49.5 kcal | 99 kcal | 49.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 2.3 g | 4.5 g | 2.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.8 g | 13.5 g | 6.8 g |
| Fiber | 2.3 g | 4.5 g | 2.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Calcium | 42 mg | 84 mg | 42 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 168 mg | 336 mg | 168 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 49.5 kcal | 1.4 g | 2.3 g | 6.8 g | 2.3 g | 0.3 g | 42 mg | 0.5 mg | 168 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 99 kcal | 2.7 g | 4.5 g | 13.5 g | 4.5 g | 0.6 g | 84 mg | 0.9 mg | 336 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.
