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Konnichiwa! Today, we're making a hearty root vegetable kenchin-jiru soup while preparing dashi with dashi packs. First, let's prepare the konjac. Tear the konjac into bite-size pieces with your hands, place them into a pot of water, and turn on the burner. Once it begins to boil, let it boil for 1-2 minutes and then remove it. This parboiling process will help remove the unwanted flavor of konjac. Next, cut the aburaage, thin deep-fried tofu, in half lengthwise and stack them on top of each other.
Cut the aburaage into 1 cm (0.4") width strips. Let's make Kenchin-jiru soup. First, add sesame oil to a heated pot and stir-fry the ingredients. Add the carrot slices, parboiled konjac, taro, and daikon radish. Stir-fry over high heat for about 3 minutes. The carrot slices should be 2mm (0.1") thick, and the taro and daikon should be 5mm (0.2") thick. Since they are sliced thinner than usual, they cook quickly and absorb flavor well, making it more delicious.
Now, add the aburaage, thin deep-fried tofu, and lightly stir-fry. Then, pour in the water. These dashi packs contain coarsely ground bonito flakes, kombu seaweed, dried baby sardines, and shiitake mushrooms, allowing you to make authentic dashi stock quickly. Place the ingredients onto the dashi packs to submerge them in the broth. Cover with a lid. It'll take about 4 minutes to bring it to a boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and then simmer for 10 minutes.
As this is a soup dish without meat, use plenty of dashi packs to enhance its flavor. There are various types of dashi packs available, so feel free to try them to find your favorite one. Now, check if the carrot, daikon, and taro are tender by piercing them with a bamboo skewer. Taro is a great ingredient for the soup as it holds its shape well even if thinly sliced. In addition, the taro will thicken the soup and help the kenchin-jiru to stay warm longer. Remove the dashi packs and lightly squeeze them.
Add the soy sauce, salt, and mirin. Mix well and bring the heat to high. Wrap the tofu in a thick paper towel and let it sit for a while beforehand to remove the excess water. Gently place the tofu in the pot to prevent splashing and break the tofu into smaller pieces with a ladle. Add the naganegi, long green onions cut into 5mm (0.2") slices diagonally. Now, the colors are more visually appealing. Cover and simmer. When the tofu is heated through and the long onions soften, it's ready.
Ladle the kenchin-jiru into a bowl. To prepare quickly, the ingredients are thinly sliced. This will help them absorb the flavor and make it delicious. Garnish with chopped kujo-negi, a type of green onion, or spring onion leaves, and sprinkle on shichimi chili pepper to taste. The amount of water that evaporates from the broth may vary depending on the heat level and size of the pot, so adjust the amount of salt accordingly. In the cold season, a root vegetable-rich soup that warms your body is delightful.
It turned out delicious! Good luck in the kitchen! I'm at Sushi Tofuro, which has several locations in Tokyo. I'm going to have lunch here now. Sushi Tofuro Funabashi offers a variety of menu items, including not only sushi but also tempura and soba noodles. Today, I decided to stop by for lunch while shopping. They kindly allowed me to take videos inside the restaurant! I'm getting excited! The interior is equipped with sunken kotatsu seating, counter seats, and spacious table seats, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
Inside the showcase, fresh fish is displayed, and the shelves are lined with various types of sake. In the evening, you could easily lose track of time with delicious sake and fresh fish dishes. Since I visited right after the lunchtime opening, I was the first customer. I can enjoy my meal leisurely at the corner seat. Their special set, with cold soba and a three-color tuna bowl, catches my eye! Although it's a sushi restaurant, it seems they also focus on soba noodles.
The three-color tuna bowl is beautifully arranged with lean tuna, medium-fatty tuna, and minced tuna, stimulating your appetite. It comes with tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet), pickled ginger, and shiso leaves. Looks delicious! With a little wasabi and soy sauce, I take a bite of the medium-fatty tuna! I'm captivated by the rich umami spreading in my mouth! Since red vinegar is used in the sushi rice, it pairs exceptionally well with the tuna and tamagoyaki.
The glossy rice grains stand out individually. It has a smooth flavor and tastes very delicious. It's a tuna bowl that shows a lot of dedication. Next up is the cold soba. The tenkasu (tempura bits) are served separately, which is a thoughtful touch just before eating. The noodles, made from Hokkaido soba flour ground carefully with a special millstone, are firm and refreshing and have a rich flavor.
You can easily visit alone or with a group and enjoy your meal. It was delicious. Thank you so much for watching until the end. Please consider supporting our channel through YouTube Super Thanks. Your subscriptions and likes are greatly appreciated. Take care, everyone. See you.
