Kenojiru (Tsugaru Root Vegetable and Soybean Soup)

Wipe 40g stock kombu with a damp cloth and soak it in 7L water for 30 minutes.

Heat over medium and remove just before boiling to make clear stock. Soak the separate 20g soup kombu for 20 minutes.

Dice 2kg daikon, 600g carrot, and 350g burdock into 5mm pieces, soaking the burdock in cold water for 5 minutes before draining.

Cut 500g prepared bracken, 600g butterbur, and the soaked soup kombu into 5mm pieces.

Pour hot water over 150g aburaage to remove excess oil and dice it 5mm.

Press moisture from 800g rehydrated dried tofu and dice it 5mm. Reserve 300g of the 600g cooked soybeans whole and coarsely mash the remaining 300g into zunda.

Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot and add daikon, carrot, and burdock.

Skim and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes. Add bracken, butterbur, soup kombu, aburaage, dried tofu, and whole soybeans and cook 20 minutes more.

Dissolve 400g red miso smoothly in 500ml hot broth and stir it into the pot.

Add the mashed zunda and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring so it does not catch. Stop when all pieces are tender and the broth has slight body.

Serve the needed portion hot.

Do not leave the large pot at room temperature; divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 3 days and reheat only what is needed, stirring until the whole portion boils for at least 1 minute.