Miso Soup and Ginger Pork

Miso soup- turns out- takes about 5 minutes to make. Who knew? A lot of people probably. Entire nations. First you have to make the dashi or fish stock. Then you add the miso and whatever other fixings you want. The fun thing is- this involves a trip to your local Japanese grocery- and if you look out for them- there is probably one not too far from you. [Porter Square, Williamsburg, near NYU- just to name a few]

These recipes come from Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking. The book I bought when I got back from my trip to Japan- 2 years ago- thinking I would use all the time. And I just now- finally made the soup.

Dashi

5 cups water

3 1/3 tablespoons dried fish flakes (bonito) [i bought the kind that is separated into tiny packets which is great- because this stuff is Stank!]

Heat the water and just before it comes to a boil, add the dried fish flakes and simmer for 1-2 mins over low heat. Turn off the heat and leave the fish flakes to sink to the bottom of the pan, then strain. Can freeze extra dashi.

Miso soup

3 ½ cup dashi stock

4 tablespoons awase miso paste

8 inch piece dried wakame seaweed [I used this kind that’s already in little pieces]

5 ounces soft/silken tofu

finely chopped spring onion/scallion to garnish

Heat dashi stock in saucepan. Just before it comes to a boil, add the miso and stir until completely dissolved.

Soak the seaweed in water until soft. Drain and cut into bite size pieces. Cut tofu into ½ in square pieces. Add tofu then seaweed to the soup. Heat thoroughly, taking care not to let it boil. Garnish with spring onions.

Ginger Pork  (top left of first image)

3 ½ cups bean sprouts (mung)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

½-1 tablespoon grated ginger- to taste

2/3 lb. finely sliced pork [I cut these little chops in thin slices- horizontally- if that makes sense. And just a note- easier to slice when very cold/near frozen]

sunflower or vegetable oil for stir-frying the pork [I used grapeseed oil]

1 tablespoon oil for cooking the sprouts

¾ tablespoon sliced garlic (1 clove)

salt and pepper

Trim end off sprouts [Harumi makes a note, that yes, you might think this is not worth doing- but they look nicer and taste better so do it. Unfortunately, laziness got the best of me and I ignored her]

Mix together soy sauce, mirin and grated ginger and dip the pork into this marinade briefly just before cooking

Heat a little oil in a frying pan over med heat. Remove the pork from the marinade and add to the pan, making sure it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together or curl up. Turn over after a couple of mins and cook until both sides are browned. Don’t leave pork for too long as it cooks surprisingly quickly- but make sure it’s cooked through

In a separate frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add sliced garlic. When aroma is released, add bean sprouts and stir-fry. Season w. salt and pepper.

Put bean sprouts onto a serving dish and lay the slices of pork on top. Pour any remaining juices from the frying pan over the pork.