Japanese Pork, Vegetable and Miso Stew (Tonjiru)

Miso is a familiar flavor in the light, brothy soup served at Japanese restaurants everywhere, but the thick, salty paste also lends its deep, complex savoriness to the chunky meat and vegetable stew called tonjiru. In Tokyo, chef Masato Ishizuki showed us his version of the Japanese comfort food, and we adapted his recipe. Dashi, a Japanese soup stock, is the base liquid for this stew. It’s quite simple to make provided you can obtain the ingredients, but if you purchase instant dashi, making a batch is “just add water” easy. Instant dashi—a staple ingredient in Japanese home kitchens—is sold in powder or granule form, or even in teabag-like sachets. If dashi isn’t an option, substitute 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth plus 2 cups water, but the flavor of the stew will be a little less savory. We chose to use bold, deeply savory red miso for its rich flavor and color, but you can use any miso. Keep in mind that white miso is less salty and sometimes sweeter, so you may need to add a bit more soy sauce or salt at the end. If you have multiple types of miso, feel free to use a blend.