Motsuni

Motsuni is one of Japan's most beloved izakaya dishes — a deeply savoury, sticky braise of pork intestines and konnyaku that has fuelled working-class Japan since the Meiji era. Rooted in the "mottainai" (nothing wasted) philosophy that defines Japanese cuisine, motsuni transforms humble offal into something extraordinarily comforting through hours of patient braising in miso, sake, and mirin.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 600g (1.3 lb) mixed pork offal (intestines, stomach, and/or small intestine), blanched and cleaned
• 200g (7 oz) konnyaku, torn into rough chunks
• 3 tbsp (45ml) white or light miso (shiro miso)
• 3 tbsp (45ml) sake
• 3 tbsp (45ml) mirin
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15g) sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) dashi or water
• 4cm (1.5 in) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, cut into 3cm pieces, plus extra to serve
• Shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder) to serve
• Toasted sesame seeds to serve

Instructions

1. Blanch the offal: bring a large pot of water to a boil with a few ginger slices. Add offal and blanch 5 minutes. Drain, rinse well under cold water, and cut into 3-4cm (1.5 in) pieces.
2. Boil the konnyaku in plain water for 3 minutes to remove its alkaline taste. Drain.
3. Combine dashi, sake, mirin, soy sauce, miso, and sugar in a medium pot. Whisk until miso dissolves. Add ginger, offal, and konnyaku. Bring to a simmer.
4. Cover and braise over low heat for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until offal is very tender and the braise has reduced to a thick, glossy sauce.
5. Add spring onions in the last 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more miso or soy as needed.
6. Serve in deep bowls with rice or as an izakaya small plate. Finish with shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds.

Cook's Notes: Thorough cleaning is essential for a clean-tasting braise. Blanching and thorough rinsing removes any off-flavours. For a more deeply reduced sauce, remove the lid for the final 15-20 minutes to concentrate. Motsuni tastes significantly better reheated the next day as flavours deepen.