Inamudouchi Okinawan Pork Miso Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 95 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Inamudouchi is an Okinawan celebration soup of boiled pork belly, castella kamaboko, shiitake, and konnyaku in combined pork and bonito stocks, thickened gently with sweet white miso.

Ina means wild boar and mudouchi means an imitation; the name arose when pork replaced increasingly scarce boar. Its prized castella kamaboko, made by steaming and frying a fish paste rich in surimi, connects the soup to Ryukyu court hospitality and to New Year, graduation, school entrance, and coming-of-age celebrations. The pork belly is boiled whole through the center, cut into short strips, and briefly blanched again to reduce excess fat and strong flavor. Kamaboko enters only at the end so its tender structure remains distinct.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
pork belly slab	200	g
castella kamaboko	40	g
dried shiitake	2	pieces
konnyaku	40	g
pork stock	400	ml
bonito stock	400	ml
sweet white miso	100	g
salt	2	g

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Finish

Cover 200g pork belly with cold water, bring to a boil, skim, and simmer 35 minutes.

At a center temperature of at least 74°C, transfer to a clean plate. Do not use this blanching liquid as the recipe's pork stock.
2

Season

Cut pork into strips 1cm wide and 4cm long, sprinkle with 2g salt, and rest 10 minutes.

Blanch in fresh boiling water 30 seconds, drain, and rinse once with hot water to remove surface fat.
3

Prep

Soak 2 dried shiitake in cold water, remove stems, and cut with 40g castella kamaboko into strips 1cm by 4cm.

Cut 40g konnyaku the same size and blanch 2 minutes.
4

Control

Combine 400ml pork stock and 400ml bonito stock and bring to a boil.

Add pork, shiitake, and konnyaku and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
5

Control

Loosen 100g sweet white miso with hot broth and add to the pot.

Stir at a gentle simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened and seasoned. Because miso salinity varies, begin with 80g and adjust with the rest.
6

Step

Add castella kamaboko and heat only 2 minutes to keep it tender, then divide into 4 bowls.

Chill leftovers in shallow containers at 4°C or colder within 2 hours and reheat only once to at least 75°C within 2 days.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Whole pork belly boiled and reblanched for a clean flavor
Finish cue: Add castella kamaboko and heat only 2 minutes to keep it tender, then divide into 4 bowls.
Avoid this: Do not substitute ordinary cake.
Storage and reheating: Chill leftovers in shallow containers at 4°C or colder within 2 hours and reheat only once to at least 75°C within 2 days.