Project Chunky Chowder

Oct 8, 2021 | Cooking Club, Recipes

BASIC RECIPE to assemble KENCHIN-JIRU

When autumn evenings turn chilly, its time for a warm bowl of nutritious chowder.

The origins of this one, kenchin-jiru, is thought to be resourceful monks at Kenchō-ji Temple (建長寺) in Kamakura. Utilizing vegetable scraps and bits of tōfu, temples throughout Japan have their own versions of kenchin chowder. Nearly every household and casual eatery, too, will serve a similar soup brimming with vegetables and tōfu. Some versions will have a clear broth, others will be thickened and seasoned with miso.

Similar frugal chowders can be found throughout Japan and Asia.

Here is a BASIC RECIPE for KENCHIN-JIRU to get you started in exploring the many possibilties.

Choice of vegetables... and types of tōfu

Get started assembling kenchin-jiru: Choose the vegetables… and types of tōfu you want to use…

Root vegetables are wonderful. Pictured here (upper left) are turnips with their edible greens… below them is kabocha (most varieties have a tough skin that needs to be partially peeled)… to the right shiméji mushrooms and abura agé (fried tōfu)… carrots (and their edible green tops… lotus root (scrub or peel skin before slicing)… firm momen tōfukonnyaku (a jelly-like loaf processed from a corm by the same name, konnyaku) “pinched” into bite-sized pieces with the edge of a spoon.

 

Choice of stocks

The classic version of kenchin-jiru typically uses a plant-based stock (a simple dashi made from kelp alone or Sankai Dashi (kelp and dried mushrooms). However, if you prefer a more complex, smoky flavor I suggest katsuo-infused stock instead.

 

Thicken and season your chowder with MISO

If you like, you can thicken and season your kenchin broth with miso. Most Japanese households will have several kinds of miso on hand… often to accommodate seasonal ingredients (and a tendancy to choose saltier miso mixtures in hot weather, sweeter in cold weather)  and regional preferences (those in the Nagoya area love Hatcho miso while most in Kyushu prefer mugi miso… folks in the Kansai area love Saikyo miso and many in the northern regions prefer Sendai miso). If you want to assemble a basic pantry so that you can mix-and-match to suit your preferences, I recommend these four:

Sweet and creamy SAIKYO SHIRO miso (upper left)

Robust and slightly textured SENDAI miso (upper right)

Smooth and slightly smoky, pure soy bean HATCHO miso (lower left)

Yeasty, barley-enriched MUGI miso (lower right).

 

Further informatiion and inspiration on KENCHIN-JIRU available at my Kitchen Culture blog

Can’t wait to see YOUR Kenchin-Jiru Project!

 

Show Us Your Kitchen Project

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
Ready to SHARE YOUR KITCHEN PROJECT with others?

KITCHEN CULTURE Cooking Club members, head over to our Facebook Group. Not yet a member? Please join – membership is opt-in and free of charge.

Looking forward to seeing what you’re making in your kitchen…

Celebrating Sakura

Celebrating Sakura

The Japanese take great pleasure in celebrating the seasons and SAKURA (cherry blossoms) are emblematic of spring. From the time buds (tsubomi 蕾) first appear to the official pronouncement of blooming (kaika 開花) it is often less than a week. And from there to...

Temari Sushi

Temari Sushi

HINA MATSURI is celebrated March 3 and sushi, either a platter of scattered chirashi-zushi and/or temari-zushi (bite-sized spheres of tart rice topped with various ingredients) is often on the menu. This KITCHEN PROJECT  is featuring temari-zushi, bite-sized sushi....

Cooking Cloth

Cooking Cloth

Cloth is the work horse, and often unsung hero, of the kitchen. In the Japanese kitchen, cloth enables the cook to perform a wide range of tasks such as lining steamers, draining and straining, enveloping, and shaping.Cloths known as fukashi nuno 蒸し布 are used to line...

Bean-Throwing for Setsubun

Bean-Throwing for Setsubun

Mamé maki (bean-throwing for Setsubun) tosses ogres outside (with dried beans) and brings good fortune inside (with dried beans). Fuku mamé (dry-roasted “good luck” soybeans) can be black or white (beige, really). FUKU wa UCHI                    ONI wa SOTO Bring in...

Recent Posts & Projects