Kimi Kehau of Pearl City loves to cook for parties. Often, she makes a big batch of soup inspired by Okinawan-style sparerib soup. Her friends and relatives love it. Her secret is to create her soup base using several types of powdered dashi (Japanese soup broth) to make a tasty broth for the tender pork spareribs. She uses traditional powdered bonito flakes and anchovies dashi, and adds konbu and shrimp-flavored dashi powders to make a rich combination of flavors. What makes this soup so special is the contrast of textures and colors from the vegetables. She includes shiitake mushrooms, carrots, daikon and the tender greens of bok choy or mustard cabbage (gai choy). Dried thin strands of seaweed (konbu) that you might be familiar with in nishime, the Japanese vegetable stew, rounds out this rich, flavorful soup and looks beautiful tied in knots. This soup is perfect to make for a crowd.
Sparerib Soup
Ingredients:
• 20 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water at least 2 hours
• 4 1-ounce packages dried seaweed (konbu for nishime)
• 6-1/2 pounds pork spareribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 4-inch ginger, peeled
• 12 cups dashi stock
• 8-inch daikon, peeled
• 5 carrots, peeled
• 4 large heads bok choy or mustard cabbage (gai choy), washed
• Soy sauce and salt to taste
Directions:
When mushrooms are hydrated, save soaking liquid and discard mushroom stems. Quarter mushrooms and set aside.
Wet seaweed for a few minutes, so you can tie them in knots then cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths with a knot in the middle. Soak in water.
Place spareribs in a large stockpot with enough boiling water to cover.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, then discard water and scum (foamy residue). Move spareribs to a bowl and wash the pot. M
ake at least 12 cups dashi stock using powdered dashi powder according to directions. Kimi uses a combination of dashi powders: konbu, dried fish and shrimp. Use the soaking liquid from the mushrooms and seaweed for more flavor.
Cover the spareribs with the dashi broth, add ginger and cook on high heat covered for 30 minutes.
Cut the daikon into 1-inch rounds, then in quarters.
Cut carrots into 1-inch pieces using a rolling cut.
Add mushrooms, knotted seaweed, daikon and carrots into pot. Cook on medium high covered until daikon and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
Cut bok choy into 1-inch pieces and add into soup.
Turn off heat and cover for 5 minutes. Taste and add soy sauce and salt as needed. Serve hot.
Makes about 12 servings as a main dish.
