okazu: pork, turnips, and turnip greens

Okazu is basically anything that goes with rice, and this recipe is another one from Oshaberi Kukkingu, my favorite Japanese cooking show (actually, the only one I have time to watch because it's only about 15 minutes long!). The show that featured this particular dish aired on November 20, so feel free to check out their website to see it in nihongo (Japanese).

You'll need:

200 g thinly sliced pork
400 g small turnips
100 g turnip greens
enough sesame oil for the pan
2 1/2 c. dashi (see this easy recipe from Just Hungry via La Fuji Mama)
1/4 c. sake
1 1/2 T. sugar
150 g miso

Do this:

1. Cut meat into 4 cm strips.
2. Cut each turnip into 6 wedge sections and the greens into 1 cm lengths.
3. Cook the pork in the sesame oil till the pinkness is gone, then add the turnips. Mix the miso into the dashi, then add that plus the sake and sugar to the pot, and keep it simmering on medium heat for 8 minutes.
4. When the turnip is soft (poke it with a skewer to test), add the leaves, wilt, and serve immediately.

This is so, so yummy and great warming winter food for your tummy. I served it over multi-grain rice that has 16 different kinds of little beans and grains (a mix that you just add to your regular white rice in the rice cooker). I was planning on sprinkling some toasted sesame seeds over the top, but in the heat of the moment it slipped my mind. Next time!

Miso paste

Bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and kelp (konbu) to make the dashi

Close-up of the konbu

I used 4 small turnips...

Smaller than my fist (and much tastier than a knuckle sandwich)!

Have this over the rice of your choice and with sweet-hot lotus root on the side...yummers.