Authentic Japanese Miso Soup
Monday, December 22nd, 2008Serves 6-8 small soup bowls
Ingredients:
8 cups cold water or organic chicken or organic vegetable stock
One 4” long piece Kombu seaweed
1/2 cup Bonito fish flakes (found in oriental or natural food stores)
1/2 – 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup Wakame seaweed broken into small pieces
1/2 medium onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup daikon (Japanese white) radish julienned
1/2 cup yellow squash thinly sliced
1 pound brick firm tofu cut into 1/4 “ cubes
5 scallions (green onions) thinly sliced on the diagonal, roots discarded
8 ounce container Mellow White Miso
8 ounce container Rice Miso
Grated zest of one lemon
Preparation:
Bring water with Kombu to boil in large saucepan. Remove Kombu and discard. To boiling water add bonito fish flakes and gently boil for one minute. Remove from flame and pour stock through strainer into another saucepan or bowl. Discard fish flakes. Return stock to saucepan and medium flame and soft boil. Add pieces of Wakame and grated fresh ginger. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add onion, daikon radish, and tofu. Simmer 10 minutes in covered saucepan or until tofu cubes rise to the top. Continue simmering on low flame. Add yellow squash. While stock is softly simmering, add 5 Tablespoons of each miso to a small mixing bowl. Add enough stock to cover and gently mash with a wooden spoon until mixture is a smooth paste. Keeping flame on lowest simmer, add miso paste to stock and gently stir until paste is evenly mixed through. Do not allow soup to boil. Miso is alive and will lose quality and its unique taste if boiled. Adjust miso to taste adding more of whichever flavor you favor, if necessary, in the same manner. Be careful to add a small amount at a time until you become familiar with its character and strength. When desired flavor is reached, turn off flame and add 1/2 of the scallions. Allow to sit 5 minutes. Before serving, put a pinch of lemon zest in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup over it and garnish with fresh scallions. Serve. Delicious!