Tsubon-jiru (Clear Chicken and Seven-Ingredient Soup)

Quick answer

Total time: 65 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients: 11

About this dish

Tsubon-jiru is a ceremonial soup from the Hitoyoshi and Kuma area of Kumamoto.

Chicken, soaked shiitake, taro, chikuwa, konjac, carrot, and grilled tofu are cut to similar dice and simmered in a clear soy-seasoned broth. Families traditionally use an odd count of seven or nine ingredients and serve the soup with red rice and nishime for occasions such as the Okunchi festival. It also reflects thrift, turning trimmings left from nishime into a complete dish. Careful skimming keeps the stock clear, and tofu enters last so every cube remains neat.

Ingredients (10 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
chicken meat	300	g
dried shiitake	10	piece
taro	400	g
chikuwa fish cake	2	piece
konjac	250	g
carrot	150	g
grilled tofu	400	g
water	2000	ml
light soy sauce	60	ml
dark soy sauce	60	ml
sake	1	tbsp

Instructions

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

5 steps

1

Prep

Soak ten dried shiitake in 500ml water under refrigeration for 6 hours.

Squeeze and cut to 1.5cm dice, then filter the soaking liquid through a coffee filter.
2

Heat

Cut chicken, peeled taro, carrot, chikuwa, konjac, and grilled tofu into uniform 1.5cm dice.

Blanch konjac for 3 minutes and drain.
3

Control

Combine filtered shiitake liquid and fresh water to make 2L.

Add chicken, shiitake, taro, chikuwa, and konjac, bring to a simmer, and skim foam and fat carefully for 5 minutes.
4

Control

Lower heat and simmer for 12 minutes, add carrot, and cook 8 minutes more.

Taro and carrot should accept a skewer while their corners remain intact.
5

Control

Add 60ml each light and dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake and simmer 3 minutes.

Add grilled tofu for 3 minutes, confirm chicken reaches at least 74C, and ladle gently without breaking tofu.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Seven ingredients cut to 1.5cm dice
Finish cue: Add 60ml each light and dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake and simmer 3 minutes.
Storage and reheating: Soak ten dried shiitake in 500ml water under refrigeration for 6 hours.