📝 About This Recipe
Motsunime is a beloved Japanese soul food, a staple of traditional izakayas that warms the heart and palate. This dish features tender pork tripe slow-simmered in a rich, umami-packed miso broth along with earthy root vegetables like daikon and burdock root. The result is a deeply comforting, collagen-rich stew that balances salty, sweet, and savory notes perfectly, making it the ultimate companion for a cold evening.
🥗 Ingredients
The Protein
- 500 grams Pork Small Intestine (Motsu) (cleaned and pre-boiled if possible)
- 1 knob Ginger (sliced into rounds for the initial boil)
- 1 piece Green part of Negi (Leek) (to remove offal odor)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 200 grams Daikon Radish (peeled and cut into quarter-rounds)
- 1 medium Carrot (cut into bite-sized wedges)
- 1/2 stalk Burdock Root (Gobo) (shaved into thin slices (sasagaki style))
- 1/2 block Konnyaku (Konjac Yam) (torn into bite-sized pieces by hand)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger (finely minced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (grated)
Simmering Liquid and Seasoning
- 800 ml Dashi Stock (kombu and bonito based)
- 100 ml Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons Mirin (for sweetness and shine)
- 1 tablespoon Sugar (adjust to taste)
- 3 tablespoons Red Miso (for depth)
- 2 tablespoons White Miso (for sweetness and creaminess)
- 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce (for a hint of color)
Garnish
- 2 stalks Negi (Green Onion) (finely sliced)
- 1 pinch Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven-spice powder)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by cleaning the pork motsu. Place the offal in a large pot of cold water with the sliced ginger and the green part of the negi. Bring to a boil, let it cook for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the offal thoroughly under cold running water to remove impurities.
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2
Repeat the boiling process one more time with fresh water (without aromatics) for 20 minutes to ensure the offal is tender and any strong odors are completely neutralized. Drain and set aside.
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3
Prepare the konnyaku by tearing it into small, irregular pieces with your hands. This creates more surface area for the sauce to cling to. Blanch the konnyaku in boiling water for 2 minutes to remove its earthy smell, then drain.
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4
Prep the vegetables: slice the daikon and carrots into 1cm thick pieces. Shave the burdock root into thin strips and soak in water for 5 minutes to remove bitterness, then drain.
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5
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the cleaned motsu, daikon, carrots, burdock root, and konnyaku.
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6
Add the dashi stock, sake, and mirin to the pot. The liquid should just cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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7
Once boiling, skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface with a fine mesh skimmer or spoon to ensure a clean-tasting broth.
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8
Reduce the heat to low. Add the minced ginger, grated garlic, and sugar. Cover with an 'otoshibuta' (drop lid) or a slightly ajar pot lid and simmer gently for 60 minutes.
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9
After an hour, the vegetables should be soft and the motsu very tender. Take a small amount of the hot broth and dissolve the red and white miso pastes into it before stirring back into the pot.
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10
Add the soy sauce and continue to simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes. This allows the flavors to concentrate and the broth to thicken slightly.
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11
Taste the broth. If you prefer it saltier, add a bit more red miso; for more sweetness, add a touch of mirin.
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12
Turn off the heat. For the best flavor, let the stew sit for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight) to allow the ingredients to fully absorb the miso seasoning.
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13
Gently reheat before serving. Ladle into deep bowls, ensuring a good mix of offal and vegetables in each.
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14
Top generously with freshly sliced green onions and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
💡 Chef's Tips
Double-boiling the offal is the secret to a professional-grade Motsunime; it removes the gaminess and ensures a silky texture. Tearing the konnyaku by hand instead of using a knife allows the miso broth to penetrate the surface much better. Using a combination of red (aka) and white (shiro) miso provides a complex balance of sharp saltiness and mellow sweetness. If the broth reduces too much during the long simmer, replenish with a little extra dashi or water to keep the ingredients submerged. This dish actually tastes better the next day, as the flavors 'marry' and the daikon absorbs all the richness of the pork.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a cold glass of Japanese lager or a dry sake to cut through the richness of the miso. A side of fluffy white steamed rice is essential for soaking up the savory broth. Pair with a light cucumber and wakame seaweed salad (Sunomono) for a refreshing textural contrast. Add a side of chilled silken tofu with grated ginger for a complete izakaya-style dinner experience. For an extra spicy version, serve with a small dollop of yuzu kosho (citrus chili paste) on the side.