Kyon · Soup

Kyon and ashitaba miso soup

By Wild Food Japan · Updated

Thin slices of kyon belly simmered with daikon, carrot, and burdock in dashi, finished with miso and ashitaba.

A tonjiru-style soup simmers thin slices of kyon well past 75°C, and the belly adds a little richness to the broth. Ashitaba is an Izu Islands vegetable, and one of the crops kyon damage on Oshima. Venison or wild boar belly works too, and spinach or komatsuna can stand in for ashitaba.

Jump to recipeLocal ingredients
Serves
2
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min

Ingredients

  • Kyon belly, about 100g (1 pack), thinly sliced
  • Daikon, 5cm, cut into quarter-rounds
  • Carrot, ½, cut into quarter-rounds
  • Burdock, 10cm, shaved (optional)
  • Konnyaku, ½ block, torn (optional)
  • Dashi, 600ml
  • Miso, 2 to 3 tbsp
  • Ashitaba, a small bunch, roughly chopped (or spinach or komatsuna)
  • Sesame oil, 1 tsp

Steps

  1. If the meat is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. Stir-fry the belly in the sesame oil over medium heat for 2 minutes, until no raw surface remains.
  2. Add the daikon, carrot, burdock, and konnyaku, and stir for 1 minute.
  3. Add the dashi, bring it to a boil, and skim. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  4. Check a piece of meat with a thermometer: at least 75°C for 1 minute. At a simmer it will be well above that.
  5. Turn off the heat, dissolve the miso, add the ashitaba, and let it wilt for 30 seconds before serving.

Cook it through

Wild game needs thorough cooking. These recipes follow MHLW's guidance: at least 75°C at the center for at least one minute. Use a probe in the thickest part, not color or the clock alone. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat food. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator; freezing is not a substitute for cooking.

MHLW: cooking wild game safely (JA)

Regional produce

Izu Oshima, Tokyo

Island-level pairing. Tokyo's agricultural video documents ashitaba cultivation and shipping on Oshima. It does not show today's shop stock or establish a shared shipment with meat.

  • Ashitaba

    Tokyo Metropolitan Government documents ashitaba cultivation and shipping on Izu Oshima.

    Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Oshima ashitaba

    Wash, blanch until the stems are tender, and serve beside kyon, or add prepared leaves to soup. Spinach or komatsuna can substitute without implying island origin.

    Confirm the harvest window and current stock with the grower or shop.

Open the regional ingredient guideIzu Oshima Gibier: kyon guide

An original editorial recipe by Wild Food Japan, based on established cooking methods. It has not been kitchen-tested by our team. Times are estimates; verify temperature and tenderness. Linked producers have not endorsed the recipe. They sell and fulfill meat orders. Wild Food Japan does not sell the meat.

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