Recipe Manuscript

松茸の吸物仕立やうの事

Name: 松茸の吸物仕立やうの事
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT5M
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 120 g fresh matsutake mushrooms (if unavailable, substitute with shiitake or king oyster mushrooms); 400 ml dashi stock (made from kombu and katsuobushi, or substitute with konbu-only dashi for vegetarian/vegan); 1-2 g salt (to taste; about 1/4–1/2 tsp); A strip of yuzu peel (substitute with lemon or sudachi peel if yuzu is unavailable)

"On The Preparation Of Matsutake Clear Soup"

1642

From the treasured pages of Ryōri shitsuke hō

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)Asian Beginner Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1642

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

松茸の吸物仕立やうの事

"一松茸能きを撰び出す一笠を去りても又其儘にても好に任す一薄く切りても又手にてさきてもよし一汁は初地はだしにてよし一塩梅能く仕立て吸口柚の皮"

English Translation

"['1. Select good matsutake mushrooms.', '2. You may remove the mushroom caps, or leave them as they are, according to preference.', '3. Slice them thinly, or tear them by hand if you wish.', '4. For the soup, use first-strained dashi.', '5. Season well, and finish with yuzu peel as a garnish.']"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a highly condensed and pragmatic style, typical of early modern Japanese culinary manuscripts. Each instruction begins with '一' (means ‘item’ or ‘step’), followed by directions using everyday language of the time, without specifying quantities or detailed methods—cooks were expected to infer these from experience and context. Some old-fashioned kanji or phrases are used (e.g., 汁 meaning 'broth' or 'soup', 能く for 'well'), and there are no precise measurements, as was common before the widespread use of standardized weights and measures. Spelling and grammatical conventions reflect the kanbun influence and the evolving Japanese language of the 17th century.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Ryōri shitsuke hō - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Ryōri shitsuke hō (1642)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1642

Publisher

Nakamura Juemon

Background

A culinary gem from early Edo-period Japan, this block-printed manual serves up a fascinating glimpse into the art and etiquette of Japanese cooking, guiding readers through refined techniques and traditional recipes that delighted 17th-century palates.

Kindly made available by

Library of Congress

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for 松茸の吸物仕立やうの事 (Matsutake no suimono shitate yō no koto, or 'How to Prepare Matsutake Clear Soup') is drawn from the 1642 Japanese culinary text Ryōri shitsuke hō. Published in the early Edo period, this work is part of a rare tradition of documented Japanese cookery, providing a window into upper-class foodways and the cultural reverence for seasonal ingredients like matsutake mushrooms. Ryōri shitsuke hō belongs to a wave of early printed recipe books that circulated among chefs and households of means. The careful selection of ingredients, minimal seasoning, and focus on highlighting natural flavors are all hallmarks of Japanese cuisine in this era. Dishes like this soup were intended to showcase the fleeting, prized autumn matsutake, reflecting deep-seated values of seasonality and harmony.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 17th-century Japan, cooks prepared this recipe using a well-sharpened vegetable knife (hocho) for slicing the mushrooms, or simply tore the mushrooms by hand for a different texture. The dashi broth would be made using a small pot or iron kettle (tetsubin or nabe) over a charcoal brazier. Soup was served in lacquerware bowls with lids to preserve temperature and aroma, using wooden ladles and chopsticks for serving and eating. For zesting the yuzu peel, a small knife or grater would suffice.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Servings

Ingredients

4.25 oz fresh matsutake mushrooms (if unavailable, substitute with shiitake or king oyster mushrooms)
1 2/3 cups dashi stock (made from kombu and katsuobushi, or substitute with konbu-only dashi for vegetarian/vegan)
1/4–1/2 tsp salt (to taste; about a pinch–1 g)
A strip of yuzu peel (substitute with lemon or sudachi peel if yuzu is unavailable)

Instructions

Choose the freshest matsutake mushrooms you can find—about 4.25 ounces for two servings.
You may remove the cap or leave it whole, depending on your preference.
Slice the mushrooms thinly or, for a more rustic presentation, tear them by hand into strips.
Prepare a light broth using about 1 2/3 cups of dashi stock as the base.
Season carefully with salt until the flavor is well-balanced—start with a pinch and adjust to taste.
Add the mushrooms and gently simmer for a few minutes, allowing the aroma and flavor to infuse the broth.
Finish the soup with a touch of yuzu peel as a fragrant garnish just before serving.
Serve hot, enjoying the clean flavors and the luxurious scent of the matsutake.

Estimated Calories

30 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparation takes about 10 minutes, as you need to clean and slice or tear the mushrooms and prepare the broth. Cooking takes another 5 minutes to gently simmer the mushrooms and combine the flavors. Each bowl is light, with very few calories, since the soup is mostly mushroom and dashi with a touch of citrus.