Okinawan Oxtail Soup

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2⅔ lb) oxtail, cut into segments
• 2.5 litres (10 cups) water
• 6 slices fresh ginger
• 4 spring onions, green tops only
• 15 g (½ oz) dried kombu, about a 10 cm (4 in) piece (international aisle; or leave out — the broth will be a little less savoury)
• 2 tbsp sake or awamori (or dry sherry)
• 1 large daikon (about 500 g / 1 lb), in chunks
• 1 carrot, in chunks
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp mirin (optional)
• Grated ginger, sliced spring onion and sudachi or lime, to serve
• Okinawa soba noodles (or udon) or rice (optional)

Steps

1. Put the oxtail in a pot, cover with cold water and boil over high heat 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the meat and wash the pot.
2. Return the oxtail to the pot with the 2.5 litres of water, ginger, spring onion tops and sake. Bring to a boil and skim.
3. Lower to the barest simmer, partly covered, and cook for 2½ hours, until the meat is nearly tender.
4. Add the kombu for the last 10 minutes only, then remove, so the broth does not turn bitter or slimy.
5. Discard the spring onion and ginger. Add the daikon and carrot and simmer 40 minutes, until a knife slides through easily.
6. Skim fat from the surface for about 5 minutes, then season with soy sauce, salt and mirin.
7. Ladle into bowls over noodles or rice, add grated ginger, sliced spring onion and a squeeze of citrus.

Notes

• Light but rich: this is clear and gently seasoned; Okinawan cooks value the pure taste of meat and bone.
• Chilled version: chill overnight; lift the fat cap, which lets you skim it cleanly.
• Other cuts: pork spareribs are the traditional Okinawan soki soup meat if you prefer them.
• Slow cooker: parboil on the stove, then cook on low 8–9 hr with 2 litres (8 cups) water (a 6 L+ cooker). Add the daikon and carrot for the last 1½ hr and the kombu for only 10 minutes.
• Freezer: the strained broth and meat freeze 3 months; reheat until steaming hot, then add fresh noodles.