Hearty 16-Bean Miso Soup with Pork and Sesame Wakame (Made Easy with Hondashi)

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus bean soak time) Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (active ~30 min) Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus soak) Servings: 5

<recipe> <title>Hearty Japanese-Style 16-Bean Miso Soup with Pork and Sesame Wakame (Made Easy with Hondashi)</title> <description>Warm, filling, and simple — tender mixed beans, thin pork belly, miso and wakame with toasted sesame. I made this easy for your mum: no kombu, just hondashi for friendly, dependable dashi. It’s cozy and forgiving — like a bowl from my kitchen to yours.</description> <prep-time>20 minutes (plus bean soak time)</prep-time> <cook-time>1 hour 10 minutes (active ~30 min)</cook-time> <total-time>1 hour 30 minutes (plus soak)</total-time> <servings>5</servings> <ingredients> - 3 cups dried 16-bean mix (about 600 g) - Water for soaking and cooking - 9 cups fresh water (for cooking the beans/broth) - 1½–2 tsp hondashi (dissolved in 1 cup hot water) - 4–5 tbsp white and/or red miso (to taste; start with 4 tbsp) - 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil (divided) - 1½ tbsp aji mirin - 2–3 tbsp soy sauce (to taste) - 1–2 tbsp sesame paste (or 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds + extra for garnish) - 3 tbsp wakame, rehydrated and drained - 250 g thinly sliced pork belly - 1 tsp sugar or a small splash of your sweet rice vinegar (optional) - Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste - Optional garnishes: sliced scallions, extra toasted sesame seeds, a light drizzle of roasted sesame oil or a dot of bachan’s sauce, shichimi togarashi </ingredients> <instructions> 1. Rinse and soak the beans: rinse 3 cups dried beans under cold water. Cover with plenty of cold water and soak 6–8 hours or overnight. If short on time, quick-soak: put beans in pot, cover with water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, turn off, let sit 1 hour, then drain. 2. Start the beans: place the soaked, drained beans in a large pot and add 9 cups fresh water. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 50–70 minutes. Add hot water if needed to keep beans covered. 3. Prepare hondashi: dissolve 1½–2 tsp hondashi in 1 cup hot water and set aside to add later for extra umami. 4. Cook the pork: while beans simmer and near the end, heat 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high. Lay pork belly slices in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Season lightly with a little soy. Sauté until edges brown and fat lightly renders. Toward the end, add 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp soy and let it glaze briefly. Remove pork and keep warm. 5. Make sesame slurry: in a small bowl whisk 1–2 tbsp sesame paste (or 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds) with a few tablespoons of hot bean broth until smooth. Stir in remaining 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil and remaining ½ tbsp mirin. 6. Add hondashi and wakame: when beans are tender, stir in the prepared hondashi solution and the rehydrated wakame. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. 7. Add miso (important): reduce heat to low. Ladle about 1 cup hot broth into a bowl, dissolve 4–5 tbsp miso there, then gently return the miso mixture to the pot and stir. Do not boil after adding miso — heat only gently. 8. Finish seasoning: stir in the sesame-mirin slurry, 2–3 tbsp soy sauce to taste, and a pinch of sugar or a splash of your sweet rice vinegar if you like a touch of brightness. Warm 1–2 minutes on very low (no boiling). Taste and adjust salt/soy/miso as needed. 9. Serve: ladle the bean-miso soup into bowls. Arrange 4–5 slices of the cooked pork belly on top of each bowl or place on a small plate alongside for people to add. Garnish with sliced scallions, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and a light drizzle of roasted sesame oil or a small dot of bachan’s sauce. 10. Reheat/leftovers: soup thickens as it cools — add hot water or extra dashi when reheating and re-season to taste. </instructions> </recipe>