Recipes

Minestrone Soup with Hakutsuru Hon Mirin

Mellow out tomato’s sharpness with hon mirin

Ingredients

Serves: 4

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 400g tin cannellini beans, drained
  • 3 tbsp Hakutsuru Hon Mirin
  • 1 stock cube or 1tsp bouillon powder
  • 70g kale, cabbage or spinach, chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Parmesan, grated

Steps

  1. Oil a heavy based pan and add the onions, carrots, and leek then sweat for 5 min on a medium to low heat, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the canned tomatoes, cannellini beans, hon mirin, stock base, and a can full of water, then bring to a boil. Simmer on a low heat for approx. 30 min.
  3. Add the greens and season to taste. If the soup is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot water.
  4. Serve with a dash of olive oil and grated cheese to taste.

Tips

・Hon mirin (sweet rice seasoning) is a key condiment in Japanese cooking, thanks to its subtle natural sweetness and balanced flavour. Unlike cheaper mirin-style condiments, hon mirin (meaning “real mirin”) is a term reserved for a more carefully crafted condiment containing just three ingredients—glutinous rice, rice koji, and alcohol—slowly fermented and matured for an altogether superior product.

・Use hon mirin to make light and mellow compotes. Core and slice a pear, layer in a small pan then add hon mirin until the pear is just covered. Simmer on a low heat until very soft.

About Hakutsuru Hon Mirin

An authentic Hon Mirin form leading sake producer Hakutsuru, made by the careful maturation of glutinous rice over months. This traditional method imparts this Hon Mirin with mellow sweetness, a deep aroma, and an attractive amber coulour. Hakutsuru Hon Mirin is gluten and allergen free and suitable for vegans. It contains no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.

Also Try

Why not try fine quality Hakutsuru sake?

Choose from a range that includes Hakutsuru Nishiki, Sho Une, Junmai Ginjo, Sayuri, Draft Sake, and Excellent Junmai.

Hakutsuru sake are available at TK Trading, Japan Centre and other selected Japanese/Oriental grocery stores. Sayuri is also stocked by Ocado.

Where to buy

Hakutsuru Hon Mirin is available at TK Trading (UK), Asia Market (Ireland), Kioko (France), Uchitomi (Switzerland) and other selected Japanese/Oriental grocery stores.