Miso Soup

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which softened miso paste is mixed. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup, served with most Japanese meals, even breakfast. It consists of two main ingredients— dashi or a Japanese broth and miso paste. You can use white or red miso pastes. The light miso has a shorter fermenting time and less salt; the dark miso has a longer fermenting time and more salt. Most misos are made with soybeans and some with additional grain. Sweet white miso contains cooked soybeans and white rice, which are cooked and then allowed to ferment with koi mold and salt. Barley, millet, and buckwheat are some of the other grains from which miso can be made. 

Like yogurt, miso contains bacteria beneficial to our digestive systems which are killed by boiling. 

2 quarts dashi broth 

1/2 cup sweet white (shiro) miso

2 ounces soft or firm tofu, fresh, 1/4-inch dice

Scallion, thinly sliced for garnish

1 cup enoki mushrooms (optional)

Dried wakame (a type of seaweed)

1. For every cup of dash, use 2 teaspoons to 1 teaspoon of miso. Sweet white miso is less salty so you may use more. The darker misos are saltier, so you might want to use less.
2. Place the miso in a small mixing bowl and add a little of the hot broth to it. Whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the pot of dashi broth and whisk to mix well. Don’t boil the soup after adding the miso.
3. Place the garnish of a tiny dice of fresh soft tofu, thinly sliced green onion rings, or any cooked seafood or vegetables into each bowl. Pour a cup or more of the hot miso broth on top and serve.