Miso Soup with Pork and Vegetables
First:
Cut pork into bite-size pieces.
Blanch aburaage (thin deep-fried sliced tofu) in boiling water to remove excess oil. Cut into bite-size strips.
Peel daikon radish and cut in four lengthwise. Then slice crosswise into 5mm(0.2 inch) quarter-rounds.
Peel carrot and cut in half lengthwise. Then slice crosswise into 5mm(0.2 inch) thick half-moons.
Scrub burdock root to clean in water, cut diagonally into thin slices and soak in water to remove harshness.
Second:Place dashi broth, daikon, carrot and burdock root in a pot and cook over high heat. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until vegetables are soft, skimming the surface to remove foam.
Add pork and aburaage. When pork changes color, add miso and soften it in the broth to dissolve. Add soy sauce and turn off the heat.
Pour the soup in a bowl and top with chopped leeks. Sprinkle ichimi-togarashi (powdered red chili pepper) or shichimi-togarashi (Japanese seven-spice pepper) as you like.