Thaw the frozen pork. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water to rehydrate. If the pork pieces are large, cut them into pieces about 1 1/2 inches (3–4 cm) after thawing.

Slice the leek on a diagonal. Cut the carrots into thin slices. Roughly chop the napa cabbage. Cut the fried tofu into strips. Prepare 12 shiitake mushrooms and 12 pieces of kabocha squash.

Add the granulated dashi to the water, then add the ingredients from step 2 and the pork. Simmer. Place the kabocha squash in a strainer in the pot to prevent them from falling apart. Skim off any foam.

Add about half of the shiitake soaking liquid. Mash 1–2 pieces of kabocha and mix them in. (You can also use kabocha slices if preferred.)

When the core of the napa cabbage is tender, turn off the heat. Add the mirin and miso, then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Taste and adjust the flavor with more miso or water as needed.

Once the flavor is balanced, add the potato starch dissolved in water.

Remove the kabocha pieces. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap. Place them in a container, label with the date, and refrigerate. (If you have extra cooked kabocha, you can freeze it.)

Let the mixture cool, then refrigerate. The next day, take it out and use 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) per serving. Add the desired amount of ingredients, and 1–2 pieces of kabocha per serving, depending on their size.

Freeze any leftovers the next day. Separate the soup and solid ingredients into containers for freezing. Make sure to put at least 3/4 cup (200 ml) in each container.