Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup)
豚汁 · Tonjiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Tonjiru is Japan's classic chunky miso soup: thinly sliced pork simmered with carrot, daikon, gobo, potato, long onion, konnyaku and tofu in dashi, then finished with miso. It is a staple of home cooking and school lunches alike, and the pork gives the broth a gentle richness that makes kids happily eat their vegetables. The seasoning is kept light for young children, and the soup is made without egg or milk. Sautéing the vegetables in a little oil first and simmering without a lid keeps the flavor clear and full, not flat.
Toddlers to adults. The whole family can eat this exactly as written.
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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.
- 18 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.
- 15 gcarrot
- 24 gdaikon radish
- 7.5 ggobo (burdock root)A long, slender, earthy-tasting root vegetable with a pleasant crunch, usually scraped rather than peeled. Substitute: Parsnip or carrot.
- 30 gpotato
- 9 gJapanese long onion (naga-negi)A long, thick scallion with a mild, sweet flavor when cooked, used in Japanese soups and stir-fries. Substitute: Leek (white and light green parts) or thick scallions.
- 15 gkonnyakuA firm, jelly-like gray block made from konjac yam, nearly calorie-free with a bouncy, chewy texture that soaks up flavor. Substitute: No close substitute - look for it (sometimes labeled konjac cake) at a Japanese or Asian grocery or online, or simply leave it out.
- 22.5 gsilken tofu
- 2.3 gvegetable oil
- 225 mldashi 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.
- 12 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.
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.
- 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.
- Japanese long onion (naga-negi) (長ねぎ)
- A long, thick scallion with a mild, sweet flavor when cooked, used in Japanese soups and stir-fries. Substitute: Leek (white and light green parts) or thick scallions.
- konnyaku (こんにゃく)
- A firm, jelly-like gray block made from konjac yam, nearly calorie-free with a bouncy, chewy texture that soaks up flavor. Substitute: No close substitute - look for it (sometimes labeled konjac cake) at a Japanese or Asian grocery or online, or simply leave it out.
- 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.
- 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 — the steps below are synced to it, so tap ▶ on a step to jump to that moment.
- 1
Cut the carrot and daikon into quarter-rounds. Cut the gobo in half lengthwise and then into thin diagonal slices, and cut the potato into thick quarter-rounds; soak the gobo and potato in water for about 5 minutes each. Thinly slice the long onion into small rounds.
- 2
Slice the konnyaku in half through its thickness, cut it lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut into 1 cm wide pieces. Place in a microwave-safe container, cover loosely with plastic wrap leaving a gap, and microwave at 1200W for about 30 seconds to 1 minute (1 to 2 minutes at 600W), then rinse under water to remove any bitterness. (For children of elementary school age and younger, swap in shirataki (thin konnyaku noodles) or leave the konnyaku out, so there is no risk of it getting stuck in the throat.)
- 3
Cut the pork into 2 cm wide pieces and the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes.
- 4
Heat the oil in a pot, add the carrot, daikon, gobo, potato and long onion, and stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the konnyaku and pork and stir-fry until the pork changes color, then pour in the dashi stock. (Sautéing the long onion in oil at the start along with everything else brings out its sweetness and aroma, so the flavor doesn't end up flat.)
- 5
Once it comes to a boil, reduce to low heat, skim off any scum, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the tofu, stir in the miso until dissolved, and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes more.
Tips for Best Results
・Simmer without a lid so any strong smell from the pork and gobo escapes with the steam. Simmering for about 5 minutes after adding the miso lets the miso flavor soak right into the tofu and vegetables.
・If you have leftovers, try adding udon noodles the next day and simmering them in the soup to make tonjiru udon.
How to Freeze
Remove the potato, tofu and konnyaku, since their texture changes when frozen. Let the soup cool, then divide into single portions in freezer bags and freeze. Reheat in the microwave to serve.
Keeps for: about 2 weeks (best eaten as soon as possible).
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 124.5 kcal | 249 kcal | 124.5 kcal |
| Protein | 8.1 g | 16.2 g | 8.1 g |
| Fat | 5.7 g | 11.4 g | 5.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13.7 g | 27.3 g | 13.7 g |
| Fiber | 5.3 g | 10.5 g | 5.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 1.8 g | 3.6 g | 1.8 g |
| Calcium | 60 mg | 120 mg | 60 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Potassium | 553.5 mg | 1107 mg | 553.5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 132 mg | 264 mg | 132 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | Phosphorus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 124.5 kcal | 8.1 g | 5.7 g | 13.7 g | 5.3 g | 1.8 g | 60 mg | 1.2 mg | 553.5 mg | 132 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 249 kcal | 16.2 g | 11.4 g | 27.3 g | 10.5 g | 3.6 g | 120 mg | 2.4 mg | 1107 mg | 264 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.
Cooking for bigger kids? See the elementary-school portion of this recipe.
