Kenchinjiru Root Vegetable Buddhist Soup

Kamakura — Kenchoji Temple, founded 1253; kenchinjiru attributed to Chinese Zen monk Rankei Doryu who established the temple

Kenchinjiru (けんちん汁) is Japan's most substantial vegetarian soup — a Buddhist temple soup from Kamakura's Kenchoji Temple, traditionally containing root vegetables (burdock, carrot, lotus root, daikon), tofu, and konnyaku in a kombu-shiitake dashi seasoned with light soy and sake. The defining technique: vegetables are first dry-fried in sesame oil until aromatic (this pre-cooking step is what distinguishes kenchinjiru from simple miso soup), then simmered in dashi. The sesame oil-fried vegetables develop a depth that compensates for the absence of meat. Kenchinjiru is traditionally served at temple gatherings, autumn-winter, and is still the standard soup at Buddhist memorial services.

Deep sesame-accented vegetable umami from root vegetables and shiitake — warm, grounding autumn-winter soup