Tonjiru Udon (Pork and Miso Soup Noodles)
豚汁うどん · Tonjiru Udon
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Tonjiru is Japan's hearty miso soup simmered with pork, root vegetables, tofu and konjac noodles, and here it becomes a full meal by pouring it over udon. Children love slurping the soft noodles, and the gentle sweetness the daikon and carrot release into the miso broth makes the vegetables easy to eat. Cutting everything small and simmering it slowly means even little ones can manage each bite, while the hidden vegetables and pork make this a well-rounded bowl with very little effort.
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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
- 52.5 gdried udon noodles
- 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 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 gshirataki (konjac noodles)Translucent, chewy, very low-calorie noodles made from konjac yam, sold in water-filled packs. Substitute: Glass noodles, or omit.
- 12 gspinach
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.
- green onion (naga negi) (ねぎ)
- Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
- 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.
- 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
Break the dried udon into thirds by hand and boil in plenty of hot water for 5 minutes longer than the package directions. Rinse under running water to wash off the saltiness. (Pre-cooked udon works too; in that case there is no need to rinse!)
- 2
Cut the pork into 1 to 2 cm wide pieces. Cut the carrot and daikon into small quarter-rounds (icho-giri) about 5 mm thick, and cut the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes.
- 3
Thinly slice the green onion into rounds and cut the shirataki into 2 cm lengths. (Use the type that needs no pre-boiling to remove bitterness.)
- 4
Cut the spinach into 2 cm lengths and boil in hot water for 3 minutes. (Boiling it separately keeps its color bright, but if that is too much trouble you can simmer it in the soup with everything else.)
- 5
Put the dashi stock, carrot and daikon in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the pork and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 6
Add the tofu, green onion and shirataki, dissolve in the miso, and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Place the noodles in bowls, pour the soup over them, and top with the spinach.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 258 kcal | 516 kcal | 258 kcal |
| Protein | 13.1 g | 26.1 g | 13.1 g |
| Fat | 4.2 g | 8.4 g | 4.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43.1 g | 86.1 g | 43.1 g |
| Fiber | 3.2 g | 6.3 g | 3.2 g |
| Salt equivalent | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Calcium | 66 mg | 132 mg | 66 mg |
| Iron | 1.4 mg | 2.7 mg | 1.4 mg |
| Potassium | 517.5 mg | 1035 mg | 517.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 258 kcal | 13.1 g | 4.2 g | 43.1 g | 3.2 g | 3.3 g | 66 mg | 1.4 mg | 517.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 516 kcal | 26.1 g | 8.4 g | 86.1 g | 6.3 g | 6.6 g | 132 mg | 2.7 mg | 1035 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.
