Diet
[x] Flexitarian + Omnivore
[x] Vegan: use Vegan dashi (kelp + mushrooms)
[x] Vegetarian
[x] Pescatarian
[x] Gluten free
[x] Weight Maint
[O] Keto Diet
[x] Mediterranean
[x] Lectin Avoidance: potato
[O] Oxalate Avoidance
[O] Purine Avoidance
Basic Miso Soup
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of dashi and miso paste. Many ingredients are added based on region, season, and personal taste.
Broth
- 4 C Dashi (Fish or Vegan base)
- 6 T Miso paste (White, yellow or red paste)
Additions
- 3 T Wakame (Finely chopped cooked seaweed)
- 1 C Tofu (Cubed)
- 2 Scallion (Sliced diagonally (green + white))
Broth
Put 4C dashi (kelp + bonito broth) into a soup pot or Vegan dashi (kelp + mushrooms)
Mix the paste with hot broth in a separate bowl before adding to the soup pot. This will help prevent globs of miso and better integrates the two flavors.
The way I have seen this miso mix from cooks: they ladle out a bit of the hot broth and mix a tablespoon of miso at a time into the ladle, rather than using a bowl. They disolve the miso completely into the dashi, then submerge the ladle into the dashi broth, taste, and add more as required.
Soup Additions
Once the broth is fully combined with miso and hot, add cubed tofu (I prefer firm).
Chop up some Wakame seaweed to add to the soup.
Slice scallions diagonally and add to soup
Serve hot.
What is Miso? Miso is a fermented soybean paste that includes other grains (so if gluten free check the ingredients). The mix is touched with Koji, a mold used in making Sake, and it sits to ferment from months to years. Serving sizes are measured in tablespoons, for just 1T can add umami to the dish you are making.
You get to choose which type of miso to use, as it comes in three varieties; or you can mix and match them. White: sweet + light. Yellow: sweet + acid + pungent, fermented at least 1 year. Red: salty-sweet + acid + pungent longest fermentation.
Reheat: I find the flavor delicate so never boil miso soup but get it to a low simmer before serving. I have been told that nutrients are lost at the higher boiling temperature.
Store: Let the soup cool down completely before putting in the fridge for a couple of days.
Longer term storage: Freeze the dashi only and cook the miso soup when needed.