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Kenchin jiru
Root vegetable and tofu soup
Kenchin-jiru (けんちん汁): Kamakura temple soup of root vegetables and tofu
This hearty, clear soup is said to have been created at Kenchō-ji, the great Zen temple in Kamakura, where monks fried scraps of root vegetables and crumbled tofu in sesame oil before simmering them, so nothing was wasted. Today it is a winter staple in Kanto homes, especially in Ibaraki and Kanagawa: soft daikon, carrot, burdock, taro and konnyaku in a soy-seasoned kombu broth, nutty with sesame. A spoon of sake goes in at the end and simmers off; the note gives an alcohol-free swap. The common mistake is skipping the frying stage; it is the sesame oil that gives kenchin its richness. Chef's tip: tear the konnyaku and tofu with your hands instead of cutting, so the rough surfaces catch more broth.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz firm tofu
- 5 ½ oz daikoncut into 5 mm quarter-moons
- 1 carrotcut into 5 mm half-moons
- 1 ¾ oz burdock rootscrubbed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 5 ½ oz taro (satoimo)about 3, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces; or potato
- 3 ½ oz konnyaku
- 4 fresh shiitake mushroomssliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
For the broth
- 4 ¼ cups kombu-shiitake dashifish-free; see the shojin dashi recipe, or soak 5 g kombu and 2 dried shiitake in water overnight
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sakecontains alcohol; for alcohol-free use the same amount of water
- ½ tsp salt
To serve
- 2 spring onionsliced
- 1 pinch shichimi togarashi (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add 1 ¾ oz burdock root, 1 carrot and 5 ½ oz daikon and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until glossy and fragrant.
3 minStep 3: Add 5 ½ oz taro (satoimo), 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms and the konnyaku and stir for 1 minute, then crumble in the tofu with your hands and fry for 2 minutes more.
3 minStep 4: Pour in 4 ¼ cups kombu-shiitake dashi and bring to the boil, skimming off any foam. Simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, until the taro and daikon are tender to a skewer.
15 minStep 6: Ladle into bowls and top with 2 spring onion and a pinch of 1 pinch shichimi togarashi.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kenchin jiru take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of fresh shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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Perfect for:Winter warmers