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.
Added alcohol-free soy sauce I used is here.
Added alcohol free miso I used is here.
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.
A quick peek at today’s halal Japanese dish