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Sekai Gohan
Sōki: Okinawan Bone-In Pork Rib Soup with Kombu
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bone-in pork spare ribs (soki bones) | 8 pieces (2 per person) | The meat of the soup and the source of its body |
| Kombu | 1½ strips | Soaked and tied into knots; flavors the broth and is served in the bowl |
| Dried shiitake mushrooms | 2 | Add depth to the broth; served halved |
| Water | 6 cups | The simmering liquid |
| Bonito stock (katsuo dashi) | as needed | Brings the broth back to about 4 cups and finishes the flavor |
| Salt | 1 tsp | Seasoning, added in two stages |
| Soy sauce | a little | A light seasoning partway through the simmer |
Steps
1Wash and scald the ribs
Rinse the eight ribs under cold running water and put them in a colander in the sink. Pour boiling water from the kettle slowly over every side, turning the ribs with tongs so the hot water never runs over your hands. This scald rinses off loose grime and blood from the surface. Move on once every side has had the hot water and the outside has turned pale.
2Soak the kombu and tie it into knots
Put the 1½ strips of kombu in a bowl of water and leave them until they are soft and pliable. Lift each strip and tie it into a simple knot. Keep the soaking water in its bowl. The kombu is ready when it bends and knots without cracking and looks glossy olive-brown.
3Soak and halve the shiitake
Soak the two dried shiitake in a separate bowl of water until the caps are soft all the way through. Squeeze them gently over the bowl and keep that soaking water as well. Cut each mushroom in half through the cap. They are ready when the knife passes through the thickest part with no dry, spongy resistance.
4Bring to a boil and skim
Put the ribs and the 6 cups of water in the pot over high heat. When it boils, a grey-brown foam rises to the surface. Skim it off carefully and tap it from the skimmer into a small bowl. Keep skimming until the foam stops gathering and only clear bubbles break on the surface.
5Add kombu and shiitake, then drop to low
Add the kombu knots and shiitake halves to the pot and turn the heat down to low. Adjust the flame until only a few small bubbles rise slowly, with no rolling boil. Let it simmer gently and come back to check the surface from time to time. The heat is right when the broth trembles quietly and stays clear, with a little fat floating on top.
6Season lightly and lift out the kombu
Partway through the simmer, add part of the salt and a little soy sauce, then taste. The broth should taste only lightly seasoned. When the kombu has softened, lift out the kombu and shiitake onto a plate. Keep simmering the ribs for about 1½ hours in all, until a bone slides out of the meat with a gentle pull, and check the meat next to the bone for 167°F (75°C) held for at least 1 minute.
7Return the kombu and bring the broth to 4 cups
Put the kombu and shiitake back in the pot with the ribs. Pour in bonito stock until the broth comes back to about 4 cups, then warm everything through. Taste it, and use the rest of the salt and soy sauce, a little at a time, to season it like a clear suimono. It is ready when the broth tastes clean and lightly salted, with the stock, kombu and pork all coming through.