Pork and vegetable miso soup (Tonjiru)

1. Cut the pork belly into thin bite-sized slices, the daikon and carrot into 5 mm quarter-rounds and the potato into cubes.

2. Scrape the gobō, slice it thinly on the diagonal and soak in cold water for 5 minutes so it doesn't discolour; tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces.

3. Heat the sesame oil in a pot and fry the pork for 2 minutes, then add the daikon, carrot, gobō and potato and toss for 2 more minutes.

4. Pour in the dashi, bring to the boil, skim and simmer on low for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

5. Add the tofu, dissolve the miso in a ladleful of broth and stir it in, then take off the heat before it boils.

6. Ladle into bowls and serve with sliced spring onion.

Tip: Tonjiru is the heartier winter sibling of miso soup: with a bowl of rice it's a complete meal. If you can't find gobō, parsnip works well, with a similarly earthy, sweetish flavour.