Mettajiru (Pork Miso Soup) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Ishikawa Prefecture

Mettajiru (Pork Miso Soup)

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Image Courtesy of Aoki Cooking School

Main lore areas

Throughout prefecture
Main ingredients used

Sweet potato, daikon radish, carrots, burdock root, pork, etc.

History/origin/related events

“Mettajiru” is a hearty pork miso soup with plenty of ingredients; mainly root vegetables like sweet potato, daikon, and carrots. What makes this soup different from a traditional Tonjiru or pork miso soup is that it uses sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. There are no strict rules governing which root vegetables are to be used however, so this dish is enjoyed by households all throughout the prefecture.
The unique name is said to come from phrases such as “Yatara Mettara Gu Wo Ireru (Randomly add ingredients)” and “Yatara Mettara Gu Wo Kiru (Randomly cut the ingredients)”. The reason for adding so many ingredients was said to be started by farmers who wanted a way to use up the large quantity of vegetables that had been harvested. In his representative work “Kabi”, announced in 1894 by Shusei Tokuda; a renowned literary of the prefecture, there is a scene depicting the main character and their friends preparing and eating Mettajiru.
The sweet potatoes which are also used in Mettarjiru are recognized to be a part of the “Kaga Yasai” brand vegetables promoted by the city of Kanazawa. There is a long history of cultivating sweet potato in the city of Kanazawa, as it is said the seed potato and method of cultivation was introduced from Satsuma near the end of the Genroku period. By 1877, the area had become a full-fledged production center of the product and by 1938, over 100 tons of early dug sweet potatoes had been shipped to cities like Kyoto, Hikone, Osaka, Tsuruga, and Kobe. In 1977, following the introduction of curing storage (a method of mass storage under conditions of high heat and humidity), the sweet potato had become one of the main vegetables of the sand dune regions of northern Kanazawa.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

In-season vegetables are used, and it is eaten year-round. Being easy to cook, it is seen on the dining tables of many households. The flavor can vary from miso to soy sauce base depending on the household.
How to eat

Pork and vegetables are simmered in dashi soup, and miso is whisked in once the vegetables are soft before being eaten. Many different textures and flavors can be enjoyed by changing the way the various vegetables are cut, for example, quarter round for the daikon and carrot, and diagonal for the burdock root. Konjac and taro may be included as well.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
The dish is eaten in households and during school lunches to this day, helping to preserve its local flavor. Cooking in a large pot enables large servings to be made, so this dish is served to hundreds of people during big events like bazaars and festivals.

source : Information provided by : Etsuko Aoki’s New Jiwamon Kingdom: Kanazawa Cuisine（Author: Etsuko Aoki）

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 Servings)

Pork 80 g
Daikon Radish 50 g
Carrots 30 g
Burdock Root One quarter cut
Konjac One quarter cut
Taro 2
Shitake Mushroom 2 Pieces
Green Onion One quarter cut
Dashi Soup 4 Cups
Miso 35 g

How to cook

1. Cut pork into bite sized pieces.
2. Cut the daikon, carrots and shitake into quarter rounds. Cut the taros into either half or quarter rounds. Cut the burdock roots diagonally and soak in water.
3. Rub the konjac with salt and boil in hot water. Cut into bite sized pieces.
4. Let the dashi come to a boil in a pot and put the ingredients from 1-3 in. Skim the foam from the top of the soup and let simmer until the vegetables are soft.
5. Whisk miso into 4 and adjust the taste as necessary. Add in diagonally cut green onion and serve in a bowl.

provider : Recipe provided by; Etsuko Aoki’s New Jiwamon Kingdom: Kanazawa Cuisine (Author: Etsuko Aoki)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Mettajiru (Pork Miso Soup) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Ishikawa Prefecture