Nakami Jiru

Pork intestines and stomach are simmered into a clear broth for this Okinawan soup, also called nakami no suimono. Despite being built from offal, the flavor comes out remarkably clean, the result of careful preparation that leaves no trace of gaminess in the finished bowl. Both pork and bonito go into the stock, and a garnish of grated ginger at the end lifts the aroma. For a more formal table, the dish is sometimes pared down to the intestines alone, or finished with nothing more than a few shiitake.

The intestines are rubbed clean with okara or wheat flour, then parboiled and drained repeatedly, six or seven times, to strip away fat and odor. Once the smell is gone, they're simmered again from cold water until tender, sliced thin, and parboiled once more. Pork and bonito stocks are combined with rehydrated dried shiitake and seasoned with salt or soy sauce into a clear soup, finished with a spoonful of grated ginger. Some households also add konjac or fish cake to the pot.

Within a food culture that uses every part of the pig without waste, the technique of carefully preparing organ meat into a clean, clear soup is said to have been refined over generations. The dish was once served at New Year celebrations, festive occasions, and memorial services, and is now eaten as an everyday food as well. Hihatsu, a peppery local spice, was once used for its distinct fragrance, though grated ginger has since become the common substitute.