Pork shogayaki is a Japanese ginger-pork dish, usually served with steamed rice and shredded cabbage; this home-style teishoku adds tofu and wakame miso soup for a complete dinner. The ginger-soy glaze is savory with a gentle sweetness, and the components can be prepared in a practical sequence, with the soup and pork cooking while the rice rests.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (370 g) Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 cups (475 ml) water for cooking the rice, plus more for rinsing
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless pork loin or shoulder, sliced about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
- 1 small yellow onion, about 4 oz (110 g), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Japanese soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mirin
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sake
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral cooking oil, such as canola
- 4 cups (280 g) finely shredded green cabbage
- 4 cups (950 ml) water for the miso soup
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant dashi granules, or the amount called for to make 4 cups (950 ml) of stock
- 1 tablespoon (2 g) dried wakame
- 7 oz (200 g) soft or medium-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- 3 tablespoons (54 g) miso paste, white or awase (blended) miso
- 2 scallions, about 1 oz (30 g), thinly sliced
Instructions
- Rinse and soak the rice. Put the rice in a bowl and cover it with cool water. Swirl it gently with your hand, pour off the cloudy water, and repeat three or four times, until the water is less cloudy. Drain well, add the measured 2 cups (475 ml) cooking water, and leave the rice to soak for 20 minutes. This soak is included in the prep time and helps the grains cook evenly.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients while the rice soaks. Slice the onion and scallions, grate the ginger, cube the tofu, and shred the cabbage. Keep the cabbage ready to serve raw. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until the sugar mostly dissolves. Set the pork, sauce, and prepared soup ingredients near the stove. This should take about 20 minutes, in addition to the five minutes used to rinse the rice.
- Cook the rice. Transfer the soaked rice and its water to a lidded saucepan if they are not already in one. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover tightly and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the surface has small steam holes. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for 10 minutes; then fluff the rice gently with a rice paddle or fork. A rice cooker can be used instead, following its white-rice setting.
- Start the miso soup. While the rice rests, bring the soup water and dashi granules to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Add the dried wakame and tofu and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the wakame has softened and the tofu is hot. Turn the heat to low. Put the miso in a small bowl, whisk in a ladleful of hot broth until smooth, and stir that mixture back into the pot. Do not boil the soup after adding miso, since boiling can dull its aroma. Keep it warm over low heat while you cook the pork.
- Cook the shogayaki. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and cook about 1 minute per side until lightly browned. Transfer the pieces to a clean plate as they finish. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until softened. Return the pork and any juices to the pan, pour in the ginger-soy mixture, and turn the pieces to coat. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and lightly thickened. Check the thickest pork pieces with a food thermometer: the USDA FSIS safe minimum for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. If the pork is below temperature, keep cooking and check again. Remove the pan from the heat and let the pork rest for 3 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Taste the soup and adjust only if needed; miso and dashi vary in saltiness, so extra salt is rarely necessary. Divide rice among four bowls. Arrange the pork and onions beside a handful of shredded cabbage, spooning a little pan sauce over the pork. Ladle the soup into small bowls and scatter scallions over it. Serve everything hot, with the cabbage cool and crisp.
Tips
Thinly sliced pork cooks quickly and takes on the ginger sauce well. If your pork is thicker than ¼ inch (6 mm), pound it gently between sheets of parchment or plastic wrap so it cooks at a similar rate; avoid crowding the skillet, because crowded meat steams instead of browning. Cook in batches and return everything to the pan for the sauce.
Mirin and sake are common Japanese pantry ingredients, but substitutions change the flavor. If mirin is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra sake and add another ½ teaspoon (2 g) sugar; the result will be less rounded and sweet. For sake, use water or unsalted chicken broth. The sauce will lose some of sake’s light fragrance, but it will still work. For a nonalcoholic version, use water for both sake and mirin, then add sugar to taste.
Dashi granules are a convenient source of Japanese stock flavor. For a vegetarian soup, choose kombu- or kombu-and-shiitake-based dashi granules; ordinary dashi often contains bonito, a fish ingredient. If granules are hard to find, use 4 cups (950 ml) mild vegetable broth, understanding that it will make the soup less distinctly Japanese. Miso paste varies in saltiness, so dissolve it gradually and taste before adding more.
Use a pan large enough to spread the pork out, and do not let the miso soup boil once the miso is mixed in. For a less salty plate, serve the sauce over the pork rather than pouring all of it across the rice. If you are cooking for someone avoiding soy, this menu needs substantial changes: soy sauce, tofu, and miso all contain soy, and suitable alternatives will alter the traditional flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this as a Japanese-style set meal: rice in its own bowl, miso soup in a smaller bowl, and pork with cabbage on a plate. That arrangement keeps the rice fluffy, lets the hot pork contrast with the cool cabbage, and makes the soup easy to sip between bites. A small dish of Japanese pickles, such as takuan or cucumber pickles, is a useful optional side because its tart, salty crunch contrasts with the sweet-savory sauce. Keep pickles as an accompaniment rather than mixing them into the skillet.
For a more filling dinner, add a small serving of edamame or a simple blanched vegetable such as spinach dressed with sesame. If you serve another seasoned side, keep its salt level modest: the pork glaze and miso soup already bring plenty of savory flavor. Green tea or cold water works well at the table. The rice is best served freshly cooked, while the pork and soup should be hot but not left sitting out during the meal.
Variations
Many home versions of shogayaki differ in their balance of ginger, sweetness, and sauce, and onion is optional. For a more ginger-forward result, increase the grated ginger to 1½ tablespoons (about 22 g). For a sweeter glaze, add up to 1 extra teaspoon (4 g) sugar. Taste the sauce before it goes into the pan, since soy sauce brands and mirin vary.
You can use thinly sliced pork shoulder for a richer, more succulent result, or pork loin for a leaner plate. The cooking time depends on thickness, so use the thermometer rather than relying only on color. Chicken is another possible variation, but it needs a different safety target: cook poultry to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. For a plant-based plate, sear thick slices of eggplant or firm tofu and coat them with the same sauce; this is a useful adaptation, not the same pork dish.
For the rice, Japanese short-grain rice gives the familiar tender, slightly sticky texture. Medium-grain rice can work, while long-grain rice will be less sticky and change the feel of the meal. You can also add sliced mushrooms to the miso soup with the tofu, or leave out the wakame if you cannot find it. These are flexible home-cooking choices, not rules that define every Japanese dinner.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Store the rice, pork, and soup separately in shallow, airtight containers; keeping the cabbage separate preserves its crunch. The cooked pork and rice keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Miso soup is best within 2 to 3 days because its texture and aroma can fade, though it should still be refrigerated promptly. If you will not use portions within that time, freeze the pork and rice for up to 2 months for best quality; tofu can become more porous after freezing, and soup may change texture.
Reheat pork and rice until they reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature for leftovers. Add a spoonful of water to the rice, cover it, and microwave in short intervals, stirring between intervals. Warm pork gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water so the sauce loosens without scorching. Reheat soup gently on the stove until steaming, stirring it often; avoid a hard boil. Do not repeatedly cool and reheat the same container—warm only the portion you plan to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the rice without soaking it?
Yes. The rice will still cook, but soaking for 20 minutes helps the center hydrate and gives more even results. If you skip the soak, follow your rice cooker’s instructions or check the saucepan a little more carefully; the water absorption and texture may vary by rice and pan.
Can I prepare any part of this dinner ahead?
You can shred the cabbage, slice the onion and scallions, cube the tofu, and mix the pork sauce several hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate them separately. For the best texture, cook the rice close to serving time and finish the pork shortly before dinner. Do not leave cut pork or other perishable ingredients at room temperature while you prepare the rest.
What can I use instead of wakame?
You can simply leave it out or use a small amount of another dried sea vegetable intended for soup. The soup will still be miso soup, but it will lose wakame’s tender, lightly briny character. Add dried seaweed sparingly because it expands as it hydrates.
How do I keep the pork from turning tough?
Use thin slices, cook them briefly over medium-high heat, and avoid piling too much meat into the skillet at once. Brown in batches, then return the pork to the pan only long enough to warm through and coat it with sauce. A thermometer helps prevent both undercooking and unnecessary extra time in the pan.
Can I use red miso instead of white miso?
Yes. Red miso has a deeper, saltier flavor, so begin with about 2 tablespoons (36 g), dissolve it into the broth, and taste before adding more. White or blended miso makes a milder soup, but the right choice depends on the miso available and your preference.
Is this the only traditional Japanese dinner combination?
No. A teishoku is a set-style meal, and its dishes vary by household, region, season, and what is available. Shogayaki with rice, soup, and vegetables is one familiar combination; grilled fish, simmered dishes, pickles, or other vegetables can take the place of individual components.
Related
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- Thin-Sliced Japanese Cucumber Salad with Vinegar and Sugar
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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