From Japan: Three Superb Soups 🌞

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Last edited Wed Sep 10, 2025, 03:04 PM - Edit history (1)

Garnishes and Finishing Touches

In Japanese cuisine, the term suikuchi refers to the garnish added
at the end of cooking to round out the dish. The same technique
can be applied when making soups. Even just adding an aromatic
ingredient as a finishing touch can spark up a soup.
If you have ever had a clear broth soup at a Japanese restaurant,
you can visualize the concept of suikuchi. Merely giving dashi
stock a salty flavor would be too one-dimensional. But if you
added some chopped green onions, yuzu citrus zest or shichimi
pepper, you can immediately taste the difference.
Adding an aromatic garnish at the end transforms a soup, giving
the refined flavor that is highly esteemed in Japanese cuisine.
Because the soups in this book were developed based on the
principles of traditional Japanese cooking, aromatics play a very
important role. They bring qualities like piquancy, spiciness,
texture and umami, adding complexity and depth.
For soups with bold elements, add the zest or juice of yuzu, lemon
or another citrus to balance out the flavors. Chopped shiso leaves
or umeboshi salt-pickled plums would also work in well here,
adding an assertive, refreshing aroma.

Aromatic condiments

Depending on how they are used, spices can transform Japanese-style soups in
many ways, adding a unique, exotic twist. In addition to providing a touch of heat,
spices can bring rich aromas to the table.

Aromatic herbs & spices

Garlic, Ginger, Mitsuba, Myoga, ginger bud,
Ground sesame seeds, Saffron, Sansho pepper, Grated cheese,
Curry powder, Yuzu kosho, Ground black Chili pepper,
paste pepper ,shichimi pepper blend.

From "Japanese Soups"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57014973-japanese-soups



THE SOUPS
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Spring Vegetable Soup

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

2 new potatoes
2 cabbage leaves
10 sugar snap peas
2 cups (500 ml) bonito dashi stock
1 tablespoon sake
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste

1 Cut the potatoes into quarters and
soak in water. Chop the cabbage into
thick strips. Top and tail the sugar peas
and split the pods in half lengthwise.

2 Combine the dashi, sake, drained
potatoes and cabbage in a pot over
medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil,
then reduce heat to low and simmer for
10 minutes.

3 Add the sugar snap peas and cook for
5 more minutes. Season with the salt
and pepper.

from "Japanese Soups"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57014973-japanese-soups

******************************************************************



Grilled Rice-ball Soup with Crispy Pork

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Grilled rice balls team up with crispy fried pork to release
deep flavors. Grated daikon thickens the broth.

3–4 thin slices pork belly, about 3½ oz (85 g)
Salt and pepper for sprinkling , plus 1∕3 teaspoon salt for seasoning
12 snow peas
1¾ cups (320 g) cooked rice
1¾ cups (425 ml) dashi stock
3-inch (7.5 cm) piece daikon, grated and drained
1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 Cut the pork into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces and sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Thinly slice the snow peas on the diagonal. Divide
the cooked rice into 4 portions. Dampen your hands with water
and firmly compress the rice into a flattened triangle or ball.
Repeat with the rest of the rice.

2 Fry the pork in a skillet over high heat. Transfer the meat to a
separate bowl and then grill the rice balls on both sides in the
same skillet.

3 Bring the dashi to a boil in a pot. Season with the soy sauce
and salt. Add the snow peas and grated daikon. Let the pot
return to the boil. To serve, divide rice balls and pork between two
bowls and pour the soup over them.

From "Japanese Soups"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57014973-japanese-soups

**************************************************************************



GARLIC CHIVE SOUP

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5-7 minutes
Serves: 6


5 oz (150 g) skinless cod fillet, cut into 1-inch (2 cm) cubes
Boiling water
4 cups (32 fl oz/r liter) *Kon bu Dashi
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon usukuchi shoyu (A very salty Soy Sauce)
2 tablespoons sake
2 eggs, at room temperature
8 garlic chives , cut crosswise into
½-inch (1 cm) lengths
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Japanese Rice (optional)

Garlic chives and eggs are a classic pairing, the addition of cod, however,
lends a note of richness. This is clearly a restorative , delicious,
soup. Use eight whole garlic chives, not eight garlic chive leaves.

Place the cod pieces in a wire-mesh sieve and pour a steady stream of
boiling water over them for 10 seconds to remove any residual smells.
Flavoring this casual soupy stew with miso gives it a hearty profile,
making it suitable for a light dinner In a medium saucepan, combine the
dashi, salt , usukuchi sh'!J'u, and sake and bring to a simmer over
medium heat.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and the garlic chives with a fork or
chopsticks. Slide the cod into the simmering broth and return to a
boil. Give the eggs a quick whisk to re-emulsify and swirl into the
soup .

Adjust to a low simmer and cook until the eggs are just set , but
still runny in places, another 1-2 minutes . Grind black pepper over
the top and serve by ladling into small bowls or over a bowl of rice.

From "Japan The Cookbook"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36423226-japan

*How to Make Hot-Brewed Kombu Dashi

Prep: 30 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 40 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

10 g Kombu, kelp
4 cups Water

Instructions

Soak the Kombu: Add water and kombu to a medium saucepan and
soak for 30 minutes or more.

Make the Dashi: Heat the saucepan over medium heat and gradually
bring the water to a simmer. Remove the kombu just before the water
reaches a boil.

Use or Store: Use the kombu dashi immediately as a base for soups,
stews, or sauces. Let the dashi cool to room temperature if storing,
then transfer it to a clean glass jar.

Yoi ichinichi wo!! (Have a nice day! )

Enjoy!