(For all ingredients, please use organic versions if available)
¼ Japanese radish
½ carrot
½ burdock root
½ green onion
3 taros
½ firm tofu
½ konjac jelly
4 dried shiitake mushrooms for broth
One 10 centimeter square of kelp for broth
1 liter water
1 slice of deep-fried tofu
3 large tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Mixture of red cayenne pepper and other spices to sprinkle over food
- To make the soup broth, place 4 dried shiitake mushrooms and 1 centimeter of konbu (kelp) into 1 liter of water.
- Remove the shiitake mushroom stems and slice the remaining part so it can be eaten more easily.
- Let the broth sit overnight.
- Put the broth into a earthen pot and put cover on it.
- Drain water from the tofu.
- Cover the tofu with a paper towel for a while to get rid of the water. Let it sit for some time.
- Cut the konjac into thin rectangular or square slabs.
- Place the konjac in a bowl and scrub with salt to rid off the lye. Let it sit for a while.
- Cut the radish into the shape of a ginkgo leaf by cutting it into two halves first, then cut again into halves. Then cut into 5 millimeter widths. Put them into a vat.
- Cut the carrot in the same way with the raddish. If the carrot is too small, cut into half moons. Place the carrot into a vat.
- Wash the salt off the konjac, and then place it in a strainer to drain the water.
- Get rid of the oil from the deep fried tofu by boiling some water beforehand to rinse the oil off of the deep fried tofu.
- Cut the deep fried tofu into two halves. Place one on top of the other and cut lengthwise to make thin strips. Make each strip about 1 centimeter wide.
- Turn on the flame and put the earthen pot on the flame.
- Add in the raddish and the carrot into the earthen pot.
- Pour the konjac in, and then add in the burdock roots. Cut the burdock roots into thin slivers as if shaving a pencil with a knife and put it into the water. No need to peel the burdock roots but gently washed the roots with a brush instead to keep the sweetness.
- Cover the pot and wait until it boils.
- Meanwhile peel the taro and then cut it into half moons.
- When the broth boils, scoop out the little lye coming out of the vegetables and get rid of it.
- Add in the taro and the sliced deep fried tofu.
- Add about ½ a spoonful of soy sauce.
- Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the green onions to add at the end. Cut them into small pieces.
- After 5 minutes, add in the tofu that has been crushed into small pieces.
- Pour in the remaining soy sauce.
- Turn the flame slightly stronger and simmer some more.
- Close the cover for a while.
- Then add in the green onions.
- And finally spread the sesame oil around the pot.
- The soup is ready to be served.