Irabu (Erabu Unagi) Eel Soup

Mrs. Y. Takamine

• 1 dry irabu
• 2 pkgs. konbu (1½ oz. size)
• 2½ qts. water
• 2 pig’s feet
• salt

Soak irabu in hot water for 5 hours. Scrub and wash irabu thoroughly in water. Cut into 2½ inch lengths. Wash konbu, wrap konbu around irabu, tie each bundle with string. Put the cut ends together and put them in a pot with 2½ quarts of water. Let it boil vigorously for a few minutes, lower heat, continue boiling from 3-4 hours. When the liquid becomes one third, take out the irabu, remove konbu from irabu. Remove stomach, bones, and innards. Roll the irabu skin. Cut or strip the skin for cooking. Place stomach, innards and bones in another pot with enough water to cover, boil vigorously for a few minutes, and simmer for an hour or more to get all the flavor out. Strain and save this stock, discard the rest. Meanwhile, broil and singe pig’s feet. Scrape the burnt area off pig’s feet, wash in pot of hot water. Cut into suitable sizes. Wash, rinse, and tie the strips of konbu into knots and cut between the knots.

In a large pot place irabu, pig’s feet, konbu, strained stock from the irabu. Measure stock from second boiling of bones, stomach, and innards. Add more water to make 2½ quarts of liquid and put this in large pot. Bring to a rapid boil under high heat, lower heat to medium, season with salt, continue cooking for 2 hours. Remove scum while cooking.

Cool soup and remove all oil. Put cooked softened items and strained soup in a pot, heat through, season, put in bowls and serve with a few drops of ginger juice. This is a very rich soup.

Serves 10.