Shijimi-jiru (しじみ汁 (shijimi-jiru))
Overview
Shijimi-jiru is a Japanese soup of shijimi, the small dark clams that live in brackish lakes and river mouths. The clams are soaked in lightly salted water so they spit out any sand, then put into cold water and heated slowly; as they open, they release a sweet, savoury broth, so no dashi is needed. Miso is dissolved into the broth off the boil, and the soup is finished with chopped spring onion. In some homes it is made as a clear soup with salt and a little sake instead of miso. The clams are eaten from their shells, and the cloudy broth is rich in flavour.
History
Shijimi have been eaten in Japan since prehistoric times, and their shells are found in ancient shell mounds. Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture is the country's best-known source, and shijimi are counted among the seven delicacies of Lake Shinji. Other famous shijimi waters include Lake Jūsan in Aomori and Lake Abashiri in Hokkaido. Shijimi miso soup is a classic of the Japanese breakfast table.
Main ingredients
Shijimi clams, miso, spring onion. The soup is built on miso soup of tiny freshwater clams and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · More soups from Japan
Recipe
Method
- 13 h
Soak the clams in lightly salted water in a dark place for 1 to 3 hours, then rinse, rubbing the shells together.
- 2
Put the clams in a pot with the cold water and heat slowly.
- 3
When the clams open, skim the surface and turn the heat down.
- 4
Dissolve the miso in a ladle of broth and stir it in without letting the soup boil.
- 5
Serve sprinkled with spring onion.
- ✓
Serve. About 25 min from start to bowl.
In short: Shijimi-jiru is a fish or seafood soup from Japan, in East Asia, made mainly with shijimi clams, miso and spring onion. It contains fish or seafood but no meat and is usually served hot.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
