December 31, 2008
There’s something so nourishing about miso soup. Mineral-rich seaweed and miso broth are nourishing, soothing and tasty. I used to spend a lot of money paying for miso soup in Japanese restaurants — that is, until I learned to make it myself. This recipe is fast, easy and cheap.
The ingredients are easy to come by in an Asian market of any good supermarket with an Asian food section. All you need is miso soup, tofu, dried wakame (a type of seaweed). Each ingredient costs less than two bucks per package. Dried seaweed keeps forever. And if you refrigerate miso in a sealed container, it lasts for months.
From left to right: “white” miso paste, tofu, a bottle of bonito granules, package of dried wakame seaweed
There are different kinds of miso, ranging in color from tan to dark reddish-brown. They each taste different too. I prefer the tan-colored paste which, for some reason, is usually labeled as a “white” miso. And yes, there are organic versions of it around.
The secret to a true miso soup is the flavor or bonito, a type of fish. Purists use dried bonito flakes, boil it in water to make a broth that has to be simmered, strained — all way too complicated and time-consuming for me. A short-cut solution is to buy a packet of dried bonito flavoring, which amounts to a lot of salt and usually, some MSG.
Frankly, I don’t even bother with bonito. And nobody EVER complains. Another plus: Without the bonito, this dish becomes both vegan and vegetarian.
Here’s my recipe:
Directions:
P.S. — Like all my recipes, this one is very flexible and forgiving. Adjust ingredients to suit your tastes.