4.8 from 10 votes
Kenchinjiru
Kenchinjiru (けんちん汁) is a hearty plant-based Japanese soup that's made with a vegan shiitake mushroom and konbu stock. Loaded with chunks of veggies and protein, it's a delicious comfort food that will take the chill out of even the coldest of days.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
258 kcal
Course:
Main Course, Soup
Cuisine:
Japanese
Ingredients
- 30 grams dried shiitake mushrooms 3 large mushrooms
- 8 grams konbu
- 3 ½ cups water (boiling)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 140 grams carrot peeled, sliced
- 70 grams burdock root burdock root, peeled, shaved, gobo
- 140 grams daikon peeled, sliced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ⅓ cup sake
- 140 grams taro peeled, chopped, Japanese variety
- 300 grams tofu squeezed and crumbled, firm
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 grams edamame shelled
- mitsuba optional garnish
Instructions
- Lightly rinse the 30 grams dried shiitake mushrooms to remove dust or dirt and put them in a bowl along with the 8 grams konbu and the boiling 3 ½ cups water. Let these rehydrate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the other vegetables while you wait for the mushrooms to rehydrate.
- When the shiitake have rehydrated, squeeze the extra liquid out of them, and reserve the liquid. Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms and chop up the caps. Discard the konbu.
- Add the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and sauté the 140 grams carrots, 70 grams gobo, and 140 grams daikon along with the 1 teaspoon brown sugar until they are fragrant (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ⅓ cup sake and then allow the alcohol to burn off before proceeding.
- Add the reserved shiitake dashi broth into the pot, but don't pour in the sediment at the bottom of the bowl, as it may contain some grit.
- Add the 140 grams Japanese taro, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt, and let the Kenchinjiru simmer until the vegetables are tender and the soup is flavorful (about 20-30 minutes).
- Finish the soup by adding the 300 grams firm tofu and 100 grams shelled edamame during the last few minutes of cooking. Adjust the salt to taste and sprinkle with mitsuba, or other garnishes like green onions, sesame seeds, or shichimi togarashi.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
258kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
30g
(10%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Trans Fat
0.02g
(1%)
Sodium
1142mg
(48%)
Potassium
719mg
(15%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
5876IU
(118%)
Vitamin C
14mg
(16%)
Calcium
168mg
(17%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 258kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Sodium | 1142mg | 48% |
| Potassium | 719mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5876IU | 118% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 168mg | 17% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.