Sumashijiru is a Japanese clear soup also called Suimono. Sumashijiru can be served for any occasion from everyday to more formal course meals; however, it does have a bit more sophisticated feel than Miso Soup.
Sumashijiru is a very simple soup, so it is important to use good quality broth. We use Ichiban Dashi, broth from the combination of Kombu dried kelp and Katsuobushi dried bonito flakes, which has a more complex flavor than Dashi with only Katsuobushi. Also, because the soup is simple, it can be enjoyed by changing the ingredients in the soup to go with other dishes. We used Tofu and Mitsuba here, a refreshing tasting herb, but you can use different meat or vegetables as you like. For example, people often use seafood such as shellfish and fish in the soup for a more festive dish for special occasions. Another example of a kind of Sumashijiru is Ozoni, the new year soup with Mochi.
Sumashijiru is a great accompaniment for casual food like Donburi (rice bowl) dishes, and also for more formal food like sushi. If you would like to try a Japanese soup other than Miso Soup, try this easy but delicious choice.
Sumashijiru Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 sheet Kombu dried sea kelp
- 1 handful Katsuobushi
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sake
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 block Tofu
- 1/2 bunch Mitsuba
Instructions
- Put water and Kombu in a pot and heat at medium heat until just before boiling. Remove Kombu. Add Katsuobushi and let the water boil then immediately turn off the heat. Leave it for 5 minutes and strain.
- Season Dashi broth with Soy Sauce, Sake, and salt.
- Cut Tofu into 1/2″ cubes and chop Mitsuba coarsely.
- Add Tofu into the soup and cook for a minute. Pour the soup into a bowl and sprinkle Mitsuba.
Video
Carol Raharjo
February 10, 2016 at 1:09 amHello. What is Mitsuba in English?
An Na
March 3, 2016 at 8:48 pmIt can be called a few things. The genus name is cryptotaenia. In English, it is referred to as Japanese wild parsley, stone parsley, or honeywort. It’s also called mitsuba in English
Saar Harel
September 11, 2016 at 10:12 pmThanks for the recipe.
It was very easy to follow and tasted very clean and tasty.
I even found Mitsuba and have planted some in my garden.
Pilar
November 28, 2016 at 12:39 pmHi! I’m a big fan of your recipes,t hey are all great and so detailed! I want to thank you specially for this delicious soup! I add a few chopped Portobello mushrooms and it works great.
Thank you!
Michael Brown
January 25, 2017 at 3:29 pmI just made this and it was delicious! I added some sliced mushrooms with the mitsuba in the bowl and it was amazing. Thank you!