Tonjiru Udon (Hot Cook)
豚汁うどん【ホットクック】 · Tonjiru Udon
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Tonjiru is Japan's hearty miso soup packed with pork, root vegetables, tofu and konnyaku. Drop in udon noodles and it turns into a warming one-bowl meal that children slurp up happily, with plenty of vegetables softened in the mild miso broth. This version is made in the Sharp Hot Cook automatic cooker: you cut everything up, add it to the pot in two stages, and let the machine do the simmering and stirring for you. The carrot and daikon are cut small and thin so they cook through quickly and are easy for little mouths to chew.
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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
- 22.5 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.
- 12 gcarrot
- 18 gdaikon radishA large, mild white Japanese radish that turns tender and sweet when simmered. Substitute: Turnip or kohlrabi, or regular radish.
- 22.5 gfirm tofu
- 7.5 ggreen onion (naga negi)Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
- 12 gkonnyaku (block)A firm, chewy, low-calorie jelly made from konjac yam, sold as a gray or white block in water. Substitute: Can be omitted, or use sliced bamboo shoots for a similar chewy bite.
- 12 gkomatsunaA mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- 127.5 gfrozen udon noodles
Seasonings
- 225 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.
- 5.7 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.
- daikon radish (だいこん)
- A large, mild white Japanese radish that turns tender and sweet when simmered. Substitute: Turnip or kohlrabi, or regular radish.
- green onion (naga negi) (ねぎ)
- Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
- konnyaku (block) (板こんにゃく)
- A firm, chewy, low-calorie jelly made from konjac yam, sold as a gray or white block in water. Substitute: Can be omitted, or use sliced bamboo shoots for a similar chewy bite.
- komatsuna (こまつな)
- A mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- 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
- 1
Cut the pork into 1 to 2 cm wide pieces. Cut the carrot and daikon into small, thin quarter-rounds (icho-giri) about 5 mm thick. Cut the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes and thinly slice the green onion crosswise. Slice the konnyaku block in half horizontally, cut it lengthwise into 4 strips, then slice into 2 mm thick pieces. Cut the komatsuna into 2 cm lengths.
- 2
Put the carrot, daikon, green onion, water and dashi pack into the inner pot and cook for 5 minutes using [Manual → Simmer → Stir] (手動で作る→煮物を作る→混ぜる).
- 3
Remove the dashi pack and cook for another 5 minutes using [Extend] (延長).
- 4
Add the udon straight from frozen, then add the pork, tofu, konnyaku (use the type that needs no pre-boiling to remove bitterness!), komatsuna and miso, and cook for 5 minutes using [Manual → Simmer → Stir] (手動で作る→煮物を作る→混ぜる).
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 258 kcal | 516 kcal | 258 kcal |
| Protein | 12.6 g | 25.2 g | 12.6 g |
| Fat | 4.5 g | 9 g | 4.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45.9 g | 91.8 g | 45.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Calcium | 81 mg | 162 mg | 81 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg | 3 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 258 kcal | 12.6 g | 4.5 g | 45.9 g | 3.3 g | 81 mg | 1.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 516 kcal | 25.2 g | 9 g | 91.8 g | 6.6 g | 162 mg | 3 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.
