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Based in Buddhist monk cuisine, Kenchinjiru is a vegan Japanese soup that's loaded with veggies and tofu in a savory shiitake mushroom stock.
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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.
Course Soups & Stews
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword buddhist, stoup
Level Beginner
Main Ingredient Tofu, Vegetable
Diet Dairy-Free, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Pescatarian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 258kcal
Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 30 grams dried shiitake mushrooms 3 large mushrooms
  • 8 grams konbu
  • 3 ½ cups water (boiling)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 140 grams carrots peeled, sliced
  • 70 grams gobo burdock root, peeled, shaved
  • 140 grams daikon peeled, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup sake
  • 140 grams Japanese taro peeled, chopped
  • 300 grams firm tofu squeezed and crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 100 grams shelled edamame
  • mitsuba optional garnish
Grams + US Cups - US Standard

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.
    30 grams dried shiitake mushrooms, 8 grams konbu, 3 ½ cups water
    Rehydrating shiitake mushrooms and konbu to make vegan dashi stock.
  • Prepare the other vegetables while you wait for the mushrooms to rehydrate.
    Shaving gobo (burdock) using a knife.
  • 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.
    Chopping rehydrated shiitake mushrooms for plant-based Japanese soup.
  • 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).
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 140 grams carrots, 70 grams gobo, 140 grams daikon, 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    Stir-frying daikon, carrots, burdock, and shiitake mushrooms.
  • Add the ⅓ cup sake and then allow the alcohol to burn off before proceeding.
    ⅓ cup sake
    Sake being added to sautéed vegetables to make Kenchinjiru.
  • 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.
    Adding shiitake dashi to vegan Japanese soup.
  • 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).
    140 grams Japanese taro, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt
    Japanese taro added to kenchinjiru soup.
  • 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.
    300 grams firm tofu, 100 grams shelled edamame, mitsuba
    Tofu and edamame added to Japanese vegetable soup.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1142mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5876IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2mg