Japanese Pork, Vegetable and Miso Stew (Tonjiru)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all of the vegetables before cooking. Peel and cut the daikon, carrot, potato, and burdock into bite-size pieces. If using burdock, soak the slices briefly in water, then drain. Rinse the konnyaku and cut it into bite-size pieces.

2. 2

   Heat the sesame oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced pork and cook, stirring, until the surface is no longer pink and some fat has rendered, about 3 to 4 minutes.

   Start 4-minute timer
3. 3

   Add the ginger and cook with the pork until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the daikon, carrot, burdock, konnyaku, and potato, and stir to coat them with the rendered pork fat and sesame oil.

   Start 30-second timer
4. 4

   Pour in the dashi. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

5. 5

   Simmer the stew, partially covered, until the pork is tender and the root vegetables can be pierced easily with a fork, about 35 to 45 minutes. Avoid a vigorous boil, which can make the broth cloudy and cause the vegetables to break apart.

   Start 45-minute timer
6. 6

   Place the red miso in a small bowl. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into the bowl and whisk until the miso is as smooth as possible. This prevents undissolved clumps, especially with coarse red miso.

7. 7

   Stir the dissolved miso mixture back into the pot. Add the soy sauce, taste the broth, and season with additional soy sauce or salt only if needed. Do not boil hard after adding the miso; warm the stew gently for 2 to 3 minutes so its flavor remains rounded.

   Start 3-minute timer
8. 8

   Ladle the tonjiru into bowls and garnish with the sliced scallions. Serve hot.