Okinawan Pig's Feet Soup (Ashi Tebichi)

Ashi Tebichi

Ingredients:

4-5 lbs foreleg and pig's feet, pre-cut and cleaned
12 cups water
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, sliced
2 strips nishime kombu
8 medium dried shiitake mushrooms
8 medium daikon (turnip), peeled and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce or miso
1 teaspoon Hawaiian salt
2 tablespoons sake or straight whiskey
1 small bunch mustard cabbage, parboiled and cut in 2-inch lengths (may substitute watercress or winter melon)
1 bunch chinese parsley or cilantro

Procedure:

The day before, cover pig's feet in water and bring to a rolling boil; drain and rinse. Return pig's feet to pot and cover with the 12 cups water. Boil for 10 minutes at high heat. Reduce heat to medium for 15 minutes, then add ginger. Cook 1 hour more until meat is tender. Refrigerate pig's feet and stock separately overnight.The next day, remove fat from refrigerated stock. Wash kombu; tie knots about 3 inches apart. Cut into sections. Soak shiitake in warm water with a pinch of sugar, 20 to 30 minutes. Reserve liquid; cut mushrooms into quarters, discarding stems.
Combine reserved mushroom water with enough stock to make 7 cups. Add pig's feet, kombu, mushrooms and daikon; cook 10 minutes. Add soy or miso, salt and sake; cover and simmer 1 hour, gently stirring 2 or 3 times.

Just before serving, add mustard cabbage. Grated ginger may be served as a condiment with chinese parsley or cilantro.

Serves 10-12

Enjoy!! :)