Hechima Jiru (Luffa Miso Somen Soup)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
Hechima jiru is a Kagoshima summer dish in which barley miso soup with young edible luffa is poured over boiled somen noodles.
Read more
Dried sardines soak in water for 30 minutes and boil briefly to make the broth before barley miso is dissolved into it. Peeled luffa is cut into generous bite-size pieces and simmered until the flesh turns translucent, tender, and slightly thick. The somen is cooked separately and placed in bowls, then covered with the hot luffa soup and topped with finely cut myoga. Kagoshima uses young fruits during their July to September season, and the soup has also been part of local Obon meals.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Remove the heads and innards from the dried sardines and soak them in the 800 ml water for 30 minutes.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook 3 minutes more, then remove the fish.
- 2Control
Reduce the sardine broth to low heat.
Dissolve the barley miso in a ladleful of broth and return it to the pot, keeping only small bubbles rather than a hard boil.
- 3Control
Peel the luffa and cut it into generous 4 cm bite-size pieces.
Add to the miso soup and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until translucent, tender under a spoon, and slightly thickened.
- 4Heat
Boil the somen separately according to the package timing, rinse quickly under cold water, and drain thoroughly.
Halve the myoga lengthwise and cut into very fine strips.
- 5Step
Divide the somen evenly among four bowls.
Ladle the luffa pieces and hot miso soup over the noodles and top each serving with shredded myoga.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Young luffa simmers until tender in barley miso soup.
- Finish cue
- Add to the miso soup and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until translucent, tender under a spoon, and slightly thickened.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
30min, 6 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 233 recipes
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