Classic Miso Soup
Miso soup is something you may be familiar with, often served as a side or at the end of a meal at any sushi or Japanese restaurant. The magical ingredient, of course, is miso; a fermented soybean paste that is used throughout Japanese cooking because of its divine flavour and healing properties. Like many fermented products, miso contains good bacteria that are great for the gut. It also possesses a range of essential vitamins (such as E, B12 and K) that tackle blood pressure, cholesterol, and bone health. It’s low fat, low calorie, high protein, and also aids digestion. There are some who may retort that miso is a salty ingredient. True that may be, but miso possesses lower sodium levels than products like salt or soy sauce, which is why additional seasoning is seldom used in recipes with miso. At the end of the day, like all things in the kitchen, it’s about moderation.
I like to prepare this soup alongside Japanese dishes, or when I am feeling sick. Just last week I, unfortunately, came down with the flu, and because this dish is so quick & simple to prepare, found myself in the kitchen making the dish at 7 am to nourish myself. There are many variations of miso soup, but today I went with the most simple, and classic, variety.
Serves: 4-6
Time: ~10 Minutes
Information - What you require
Ingredients
• Dashi stock (1L)
• Three spring onions
• Dried seaweed (2-3 sheets)
• White miso paste (2 tbsp)
• Red miso paste (3 tbsp)
• Firm variety tofu (~300g)
Optional Ingredients & Notes
• Stock: Dashi is one of a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine which traditionally forms the base for miso soup. It can be found in powdered or liquid form in most supermarkets, or your local Asian supermarket.
Equipment
• One large pot
• One strainer
Mise En Place - Food preparation
Slice your seaweed into the desired shape (thin strips or rectangles). Gently remove the tofu and cut it into small cubes. Thinly slice spring onions.
Cooking Process
Empty the litre of dashi into a large cooking pot and bring it to a boil. Next, add the dried seaweed and tofu cubes and gently boil for one minute. Now, bring the heat down to a light simmer; it’s vitally important that the miso paste does not boil; as the flavour and aroma are then lost. Place the red and white miso paste into a strainer and softly lower it into the simmering dashi.
Strain the paste patiently until it has dissolved into the broth. We do it this way to allow the stock to absorb the miso and to avoid having stubborn clumps of miso floating around in your soup. Once all the miso has melted, take the pot off the heat.
To serve, sprinkle over a handful of spring onions, and enjoy!
If you do attempt this dish, please let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. Also, this newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you feel you know someone who would enjoy this publication please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor