Japanese · lunch, dinner, side
Kenchinjiru (Japanese Tofu and Root Vegetable Soup)
Video by Just One Cookbook on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free with a swap: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Sesame, Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
A plant-based soup with about 12 g of protein and 6 g of fibre a serve, and a good source of calcium from the tofu, in a light kombu and shiitake broth with no added sugar.
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Ingredients 15
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Make the kombu dashi: soak the kombu in 5 cups of water (overnight if you have time), heat slowly and remove the kombu just before it boils. Soak the dried shiitake in 1 cup of water, squeeze them out and strain the soaking liquid. 0:03
- Press the tofu between paper towels for 30 minutes. Tear the konnyaku into bite-size pieces with a spoon, boil for 2–3 minutes and drain. 0:21
- Peel and slice the daikon, carrot and taro (soak the taro to remove the sliminess); scrape, slice and soak the burdock for 5 minutes. Remove the shiitake stems and quarter the caps. 0:48
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot and sauté the daikon, carrot, taro, burdock and konnyaku. Add the shiitake, tear the tofu into the pot by hand and stir until coated in oil. 1:58
- Pour in both dashis, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam. 2:18
- Add the sake and salt and cook until the vegetables are tender, then stir in the soy sauce. Serve topped with green onions and shichimi togarashi if you like. 2:39
Tip. Sansho pepper is the other traditional topping. Keeps 2–3 days in the fridge. Potato can stand in for taro, and extra daikon or carrot for burdock.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 41%
- Protein 24%
- Fat 35%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Calcium High31%
407 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (84%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin A High24%
217 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (96%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin B6 High21%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from taro roots (35%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Omega-3 High21%
0.3 g a serve, mostly from firm tofu (89%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Magnesium High20%
84 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (35%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium Source18%
860 mg a serve. Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin C Source18%
17 mg a serve, mostly from daikon radish (67%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin K Source18%
22 µg a serve, mostly from green onions (72%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Selenium Source18%
10 µg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (84%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Iron Source14%
2.4 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (55%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Folate Source14%
56 µg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (26%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Zinc Source12%
1.3 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (61%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin E Source10%
1.5 mg a serve, mostly from taro roots (73%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Show the other 2
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve, mostly from dried shiitake mushrooms (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Just One Cookbook; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.