Another of my family’s favorite soup dish and I’m sure it is for a lot of others too! I always cook a very large amount (maybe double of even triple the recipe) not only because my family always asks for “OKAWARI” (seconds, thirds, and fourths!), it just gets tastier and tastier every time I reheat the pot!
A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT JAPAN:
“TON”=pork, “JIRU”=soup. It is enjoyed in many variations throughout the country with combinations with other ingredients such as lotus root, potato, burdock root, “KONNYAKU” (devil’s tongue), etc.
“Shun” (good season) of SATO IMO in JAPAN: September ~ November
INGREDIENTS:
250g Thinly sliced pork belly strips
8 to 10 SATO IMO (taro)
11 Green onion
1 (150g) Carrot
5 cm (200g) DAIKON(daikon radish)
2 ABURA AGE (deep fried tofu puffs)
2 tsp KOMBU DASHI powder
1.5 L Water
120 to 140g MISO
Sesame oil
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook SATOIMO over a steamer for about 10 to 15 min., until it gets soft enough to peel off the skin with your hands (let it cool down a little bit before peeling). Cut into 1.5 cm half moons or quarter-rounds.
- Cut pork into bite-size pieces.
- Skin DAIKON and carrot with a peeler and cut into 5mm quarter-rounds or half moons.
- Cut green onion into 5mm round slices.
- Place ABURA AGE in a sieve, pour boiling water to rinse off its oil, pat dry w/paper towel and cut in half length-wise then cut into 1cm short strips.
- Heat sesame oil in a pot, stir-fry pork, carrot and DAIKON over high heat.
- When the ingredients are well-coated with oil, add water and simmer over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. (remove any scum!)
- Add SATO IMO, ABURA AGE and scallion, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until SATO IMO gets completely cooked.
- Turn off the heat, add miso. (Be careful not to boil after adding miso or you lose its nice aroma!) Serve plenty in a large bowl!
NOTES :
“SATO IMO” (taro imo)