Miso, Pork, and Walnut Dip for Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup walnuts , toasted
• 1/2 cup dark miso , such as aka, hatcho, or mugi
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons homemade or instant dashi
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup minced yellow onion , from about 1/4 medium onion
• 1/4 cup ground pork

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, crush walnuts until fine and crumbly (some small chunks are okay).
2. In a small bowl, stir together miso, mirin or sake, sugar (see note), and dashi. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pork and cook, breaking it up into small bits with a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in walnuts.
4. Stir in miso mixture and cook, stirring, until reduced to a thick paste, about 3 minutes; lower heat as necessary to prevent scorching.
5. Scrape miso dip into a bowl, then serve with raw or cooked seasonal vegetables. The dip will keep up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.