Originally created as a Buddhist temple cuisine, Kenchinjiru  is a clear soup cooked with root vegetables, tofu, shiitake and kombu stock. It’s a well balanced, flavorful soup if you're looking for a meatless meal on a cold night.

Kenchinjiru (Japanese Vegetable Soup)

INGREDIENTS

For Vegan Dashi

• ▢1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (4” x 4”, 10 x 10 cm)
• ▢5 cups water (for kombu)
• ▢3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• ▢1 cup water (for shiitake)

For the soup

• ▢7 oz firm tofu (½ tofu)
• ▢½ package konnyaku (konjac) (4.6 oz, 130 g)
• ▢7 oz daikon radish (2", 5 cm)
• ▢3.5 oz carrot (1 medium carrot)
• ▢3 pieces taro (satoimo)
• ▢3.5 oz gobo (burdock root) (½ gobo)
• ▢2 green onions/scallions
• ▢shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional)
• ▢Japanese sansho pepper (optional)

Seasonings

• ▢1 Tbsp sesame oil (roasted)
• ▢3 Tbsp sake
• ▢½ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ▢2 Tbsp soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Prepare the Ingredients

• Previous Night: Gently clean kombu with a damp towel. NEVER wash kombu and do not remove the white powder (that’s where the umami flavor comes from!). These days kombu is pretty clean. Soak kombu in 5 cups of water overnight. If you don’t have time, skip soaking and go to the next step.
• Slowly bring the kombu water to a boil. Right before the water boils, remove and discard the kombu. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
• Put dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with water. Place a smaller bowl on top to make sure mushrooms are submerged.
• Wrap the tofu with a paper towel and place it on a plate. Put another plate on top to press the tofu, drain for 30 minutes.
• Cut konnyaku into bite-size pieces. You can use a spoon to cut konnyaku. By giving konnyaku uneven texture, the surface will absorb more flavor. Then boil for 2-3 minutes to get rid of the odor. Drain the water and set it aside.
• Peel and cut daikon, carrot, and taro (satoimo) into slices. For daikon and carrot, I slice them thinly so it will take less time to cook. For satoimo, I cut into about ¼” (6 mm) slices and soak in water to get rid of the slimy texture.
• Scrape the gobo skin with the back of a knife under running water. Cut in half lengthwise and slice thinly. Soak in water for 5 minutes and drain.
• When shiitake mushrooms are soft and hydrated, squeeze the liquid out and set the mushrooms aside. Strain the shiitake dashi into a finely meshed sieve to get rid of particles and set aside.
• Remove and discard the stem of shiitake mushrooms and cut into quarters.

To Cook Kenchinjiru

• Heat a large pot and add sesame oil. Sauté daikon, carrot, taro (satoimo), gobo (burdock root), and konnyaku until the oil coats the ingredients.
• Then add shiitake mushrooms. Tear tofu with your fingers and add into the pot (If you are using silken tofu, use a knife to cut and add it right before serving). Tofu will absorb more flavor when it is torn by hands. Saute until all the ingredients are coated with the oil.
• Add the shiitake dashi and kombu dashi and bring it to a boil.
• Turn down the heat to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, skimming occasionally. Use a fine-mesh skimmer, skim off the foam and scum on the surface. Tip: Fill up a 1-cup measuring cup with water and clean the strainer in it. Exchange the water when it gets too dirty.
• After 10 minutes, add sake and salt and continue to cook until the vegetables are all tender. Finally add the soy sauce.

To Serve

• Right before serving, cut the scallion. Serve the soup and garnish with scallion. Sprinkle Shichimi Togarashi and Sansho Pepper, if you like it spicy.

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container or the pot and store in the refrigerator.

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