Unohana (Simmered Okara)

Soy pulp simmered with carrot, shiitake, and scallion. Humble, savory, and one of the highest-fiber dishes anywhere.

25 min3 servingsJapanese
Unohana (Simmered Okara) — Japanese recipe, finished and plated

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Ingredients

  • 200 g Okara (soy pulp)
  • 1 Carrot
  • 4 Dried shiitake
  • 3 Scallions
  • 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 2 Fried tofu pouches (optional)
  • 1 tbsp Mirin (optional)

Method

  1. Soak the shiitake until soft, then slice thin; julienne the carrot and slice the scallions and aburaage.
  2. Fry the vegetables in the sesame oil until softened, 4 minutes.
  3. Stir in the okara, soy, mirin, and a splash of water and cook, stirring, until fluffy and dry, 6 minutes.
  4. Serve warm.

About Unohana (Simmered Okara)

Unohana (Simmered Okara) is a Japanese lunch or dinner that comes together in about 25 minutes and serves 3.

Unohana (Simmered Okara): frequently asked questions

Is Unohana (Simmered Okara) gluten-free?

As written, no — it contains Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.

How long does Unohana (Simmered Okara) take to make?

About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 13 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.

Do I need every ingredient to make Unohana (Simmered Okara)?

The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out fried tofu pouches, mirin — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.

How many servings does Unohana (Simmered Okara) make?

This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.