Sumashijiru (Clear Soup)

Ingredients

• 4 cups (950ml) water 4 cups (950ml) water
• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp), about 2x2 inches 1 piece kombu (dried kelp), about 2x2 inches
• 1 cup (240ml) bonito flakes 1 cup (240ml) bonito flakes
• 1 small daikon radish, peeled and sliced 1 small daikon radish, peeled and sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 block tofu, cubed 1/2 block tofu, cubed
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine) 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• Salt, to taste Salt, to taste

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 120 kcal / 502 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 2g, 0.5g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 20g, 8g
• Protein: 8g
• Fiber: 5g
• Salt: 2g

Preparation

1. 1.
   In a pot, add water and kombu. Let it soak for 30 minutes.
2. 2.
   Place the pot over medium heat and slowly bring it to a simmer. Just before it starts to boil, remove the kombu.
3. 3.
   Add bonito flakes to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. 4.
   Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the bonito flakes.
5. 5.
   Return the broth to the pot and bring it to a gentle simmer.
6. 6.
   Add daikon radish, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. 7.
   Add tofu, green onions, soy sauce, and mirin. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
8. 8.
   Season with salt to taste.
9. 9.
   Serve the Sumashijiru hot, garnished with additional green onions.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Kombu — Make sure to soak the kombu in water before simmering to extract its flavors fully.
• Bonito flakes — Use high-quality bonito flakes for a more pronounced umami taste.
• Tofu — Firm tofu works best in this recipe as it holds its shape during cooking.

Tips & Tricks

• For a vegetarian version, replace bonito flakes with dried shiitake mushrooms.
• Adjust the amount of soy sauce and salt according to your taste preferences.
• Feel free to add other seasonal vegetables like snow peas or spinach for variation.
• Serve the Sumashijiru as a light and refreshing starter to a Japanese meal.
• Leftover Sumashijiru can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving advice

Serve the Sumashijiru in individual bowls, allowing the vibrant colors of the vegetables to shine through. Garnish with a sprinkle of green onions for added freshness.

Presentation advice

To enhance the presentation, arrange the sliced vegetables and tofu neatly in the bowl before pouring the clear broth. This will create an appealing visual contrast between the colorful ingredients and the transparent soup.