#or kenchinjiru but without the mushrooms or konnyaku or uhh

[shoku-and-awe]

Miso soup with root vegetables and pork & mushroom stir-fry! I don't know why I don't make this soup constantly; it's so damn delicious and very warming. And easy; just heat water and kombu dashi powder, add thinly sliced leeks, daikon, and carrot, then simmer until cooked through. Then turn off the heat to stir in miso to taste. (You can scoop miso into a ladle, submerge it slightly, and poke at the miso with chopsticks to dissolve it until it tastes good to you. This way, you can adjust the flavor gradually and avoid burning the miso.)

For the stir-fry, I used this beef and broccoli sauce and it was super tasty but needs some adjustment—pork and mushrooms are milder and can get overwhelmed by the salty. (Or that was my feeling, but then every time I over-salt something, my husband raves about it, so YMMV, I guess!) Anyway, adapted recipe behind the cut.

PORK & MUSHROOMS (IN BEEF & BROCCOLI SAUCE) ~175 g sliced pork belly 1 pack shimeji mushrooms  2 large cloves garlic Onion to taste* 1 tbsp fermented black beans** [Marinade] 1 ½ tsp corn or potato starch 2 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice wine 1 tsp sesame oil [Sauce]*** 3 tbsp chicken broth 3 tbsp oyster sauce 1.5 tbsp soy sauce Water

*Not in the original recipe and we didn't have any onions that day, but this dish definitely wants them.

**Optional, I think. I've never had this on hand at the right time but the beef & broccoli is still always a hit.

***For beef & broccoli, I usually double the sauce, but I would not recommend it for pork! Too salty.

1. Slice onions, mince garlic, and clean mushrooms and break into segments.

2. Make marinade and pour over pork. Let marinate very briefly as you make the sauce. Massage it a little if you want.

4. Heat wok and add oil. Stir-fry onions to your preference, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. If using beans, add beans as well and smash together with spatula.

5. Add mushrooms and brown. Add pork and toss until cooked.

6. Add sauce. Stir fry until cooked. Taste and add more oyster sauce if needed. Garnish with toasted sesame and serve hot with cooked rice.