Tonyu Nabe (Soy Milk Hot Pot)

Name: Tonyu Nabe
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 leek (white part); 1 bunch nira; ½ Chinese cabbage; 10 fresh shiitake mushrooms; 1 carrot; ½ daikon radish; 300 g sliced pork; 1 packet tofu (about 400 g); 600 ml (about 2½ cups) dashi, homemade or store-bought; 1½ inch piece kombu; 4 Tbsp. brown miso; 600 ml (about 2½ cups) soy milk; 2 Tbsp. mirin; 2 tsp. soy sauce; 1 pinch salt; Shichimi (for serving)

By Maori Murota

January 11, 2023

Stew with cabbage tofu pork carrots and radish.

Photo by Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle

Hot pot is meant to be enjoyed by a group around a big table with a big pot of simmering broth and platters of ingredients in the middle. The broth base for tonyu nabe, as the name suggests, is soy milk, along with dashi and miso paste. The soy milk adds a gentle sweetness and creaminess to the dish with a slight nutty flavor that's enhanced by the miso paste—this all pairs beautifully with the pork and vegetables. Once you've plucked out the last bits of cooked veggies and meat, don't toss the broth. Add cooked rice to make oiya risotto so you and your friends can enjoy every last bit of flavor.

For the sliced pork, any thinly sliced pork loin or belly meant for hot pot will work—you can often find the meat presliced at Asian grocery stores. Otherwise, buy a small pork loin or tenderloin, freeze until fairly rigid but not fully frozen (20 to 30 minutes), and then slice as thinly as possible with a sharp knife.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Tokyo Cult Recipes' by Maori Murota. Buy the full book on Amazon.