Welcome to Nippon Spoon!
Today, we’re making three classic Japanese side dishes prepared in a halal-friendly way:
tofu and wakame miso soup, quick-pickled cucumbers, and tomatoes soaked in dashi.
They’re simple, refreshing, and easy to make at home.
Let’s get started.
Halal-Friendly Notes
Alcohol-Free Soy Sauce and Miso
Soy sauce and miso without added alcohol are used in this recipe.
No Mirin
Mirin is often used in Japanese cooking, but in this recipe it is replaced with sugar to keep the dishes halal-friendly.
Tofu and Wakame Miso Soup
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Dashi stock – 300 ml (1 1/4 cup)
- Silken tofu – 90 g (3 oz)
- Dried wakame – 3 g
- Miso – 1 1/3 tbsp
Cooking
- Add the dashi stock to a pot and heat it over medium heat.
- Add the dried wakame and tofu.
In Japan, tofu is often cut directly over the hand and added straight to the soup, but you can use a cutting board if you prefer.
- Since tofu and wakame don’t need long cooking, the soup is ready once the wakame softens and the tofu is warmed through.
- Turn off the heat and dissolve 1 1/3 tablespoons of miso into the soup. Taste and adjust to your preference.
Your tofu and wakame miso soup is ready.
Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Cucumbers – 150 g
- Salt – 2/3 teaspoon
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Rice vinegar – 2 teaspoons
Cooking
- Trim the ends of the cucumbers and slice them diagonally into thin pieces, about 3 millimeters thick.
- Put the cucumbers into a zip-top bag.
- Add the salt, sugar, and rice vinegar.
Rice vinegar gives a Japanese-style flavor, but any vinegar can be used.
- Gently massage the bag from the outside so the salt and sugar dissolve and coat the cucumbers evenly.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and place it in the fridge.
Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or about 3 hours for deeper flavor.
Tomatoes in Dashi
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Mini tomatoes – 150 g
- Soy sauce – 1/2 tablespoon
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – 1/3 teaspoon
- Dashi – 150 ml
Cooking
- Cut the mini tomatoes in half and place them in a zip-top bag.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar, salt, and dashi.
Although mirin is often used, this recipe uses sugar instead to keep it halal-friendly.
- Gently massage the bag from the outside so the salt and sugar dissolve.
- Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag.
Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or about 3 hours for full flavor if you have time.
Serve and Enjoy
The miso soup is warm and comforting.
The cucumbers are lightly sweet and tangy, perfect as a refreshing side.
The tomatoes absorb the delicate dashi and become juicy and flavorful.
Enjoy these simple halal-friendly Japanese side dishes at home.
Watch How to Make It
This video shows how to make these three halal-friendly Japanese side dishes step by step.