Okara-konnyaku no nikumiso-fu / sweet and salty fried ground soybean pulp yam cakes

A meaty meat-less topping for noodles, rice and more. This is the latest popular creation using okara soybeans at our house. It also features gobo burdock root and dried shiitake mushrooms for deeper taste, aroma and variation in texture. Its strong flavor translates into keeping longer in the fridge. One major disadvantage is that Tom wants to eat more than he should. This is made to fit a sodium savvy diet, but take care with how much you eat.

Whole recipe (with okara-konnyaku made with nagaimo Chinese yam):
311 calories; 12.4 g protein; 13.1 g fat; 43.8 g carbohydrate; 21.0 g net carbs; 972 mg sodium; ０ mg cholesterol; 22.8 g fiber

1 heaping tablespoon (4 tsp/20 g; 1/10 of recipe):
28 calories; 1.1 g protein; 1.2 g fat; 4.0 g carbohydrate; 1.9 g net carbs; 88 mg sodium; ０ mg cholesterol; 2.1 g fiber


<Ingredients>

(Makes approx. 220-230 g)
140-145 g okara-konnyaku soybean yam cakes, defrosted (85-90 g after grinding and removing excess water)
60-70 g gobo burdock root (65 g in photo)
2 hoshi-shiitake dried shiitake mushrooms (59 g rehydrated hoshi-shiitake in photo)
1 taka no tsume red chili pepper (slices)
2 tsp oil

For seasoning
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp shoyukoji soy sauce rice malt
2 tsp aka red miso
1/2 tsp kurozu brown rice vinegar
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

<Directions>
1.

Tear, and grind okara-konnyaku. 

Squeeze out excess water.

2.

Chop gobo burdock root.
Here, gobo is first cut lengthwise, then chopped.

Chop rehydrated hoshi-shiitake.

3.

Mix all ingredients for seasoning.

4.

Heat oil in frying pan, and saute gobo for a few minutes.

5.

Add taka no tusme, shiitake and okara-konnyaku, and saute for another few minutes.

6.

Pour seasoning, and mix well.

Cook until almost all moisture is gone.

<Notes>

• Keeps in the fridge 10+ days.
• Among dried shiitake, one called donko (dong gu) with a thick umbrella works the best in terms of taste, aroma and texture. They can be rehydrated in warm water or microwaved if time is limited, but soaking in cold water overnight brings out their best. They usually cost more than thin umbrella type dried shiitake. For good donko at very affordable prices in the US, check out Chinese herb shops.
• Nikumiso is a mixture of ground meat and miso, which often is additionally flavored with something sweet as well as something spicy.
   

Recipes with okara-konnyaku no nikumiso-fu

• Shirunashi tantan men / dan dan mian noodles
  
• Okara-konnyaku no nikumiso-fu soboro to iritamago no gohan / steamed rice topped with sweet & salty fried soybean pulp yam cakes and scrambled egg

(Last updated: November 1, 2017)