Dago-jiru (Hand-Stretched Dumpling Soup)

Soak 10 dried shiitake mushrooms in 400ml of the 1200ml broth water for 20 minutes.

Lift them out, squeeze gently, and slice thinly. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve or cloth to remove grit.

Combine the strained shiitake liquid, the remaining 800ml broth water, and 100g niboshi in a pot.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, simmer for 5 minutes, then remove every sardine to leave a clear broth.

Scrub 1 burdock root and shave it into thick, short slanted pieces.

Peel 300g taro and cut it into irregular bite-size chunks. Halve 1 carrot lengthwise and slice it into 5mm half-moons, keeping all vegetables and the sliced shiitake ready.

Mix 300g wheat flour and 150g glutinous rice flour evenly in a large bowl.

Add 240ml dough water gradually and knead for 7 minutes until soft like an earlobe but not excessively sticky. Cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Return the broth to a boil and cook the burdock for 5 minutes.

Add the taro, carrot, and sliced shiitake and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. When a chopstick enters the taro about halfway, stir in 100ml usukuchi soy sauce.

Pinch off bite-size portions of rested dough and stretch each by hand into a thin, short piece about 5cm long and 2cm wide.

Drop them separately into the boiling soup and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until every piece floats and no dry flour remains in the thickest center.

Check that the dumplings have no raw flour inside and a chopstick passes easily through the center of the taro; simmer longer if needed. Slice 20 g green onion, taste the broth, stir gently, and ladle into bowls before adding the onion.