I studied in Japan during my last semester of college. During my stay in Tokyo, I think I had more miso soup than I’ve ever had in my entire life. So when Rachel asked me if I could make miso soup for The Chic, of course I had a recipe in mind.
Miso soup is a staple in Japanese cuisine. A traditional Japanese breakfast consists of miso soup, rice, and usually some fish. Although the miso soup we are accustomed to here in America just has tofu and seaweed, miso soup in Japan varies according to region and season. For example, the Kyoto-style white miso soup or miso soup with kabocha (similar to pumpkin or squash).
Traditionally miso soup is make with dashi, a soup stock consisting of kombu (dried kelp) and bonito flakes (aged and dried fish). The kombu gives that rich umami taste we often associate with miso soup, while the bonito flakes add a subtle smokiness. I’m used to making miso soup with cubed tofu and wakame (dried seaweed) . Making dashi from scratch is very simple; its like making tea. Since the ingredients are so delicate, you don’t need much time cooking it. You can find kombu, bonito flakes, and wakame at Asian supermarkets (Nijiya Market, Maruki Market, or 99 Ranch) and at well-stocked markets like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts.
Quick Recap:
dashi = soup stock
kombu = dried kelp
bonito flakes = aged and dried fish
wakame = dried seaweed
To make the dashi, bring to a boil 4 cups of water and a 6”x 4” piece of kombu. Remove from heat and discard kombu. Stir in 1 cup of bonito flakes. Cover pot and let mixture steep for 5 minutes.
After steeping, strain out bonito flakes. Separate 1 cup of dashi and mix with 1/3 cup miso paste. Stir until smooth, and then pour back into dashi.
While the bonito flakes are steeping, reconstitute 1 tablespoon wakame in cold water. Cut soft tofu into small bite sized cubes and set aside.
There are numerous types of miso paste available. It can be a little overwhelming because you’ll find white miso, yellow miso, red miso, and sometimes a combination of different miso pastes. I prefer shiro miso (white miso) and this all natural yellow miso paste. White miso tends be to lighter and a bit sweeter in flavor. Yellow miso the perfect all-purpose, general use miso because of it’s mild flavor. I tend to stay away from red miso because it is made with a longer fermentation time, and thus a stronger and saltier flavor. In general, I say look for a miso paste that is labeled as “mild.”
To prep for serving, I like to distribute the tofu and wakame among the soup bowls ahead of time. (You can keep this covered in the fridge before serving.)
Once the miso paste has been mixed with the dashi, simply pour the soup over the prepared soup bowls and serve!
- 4 cups water
- 1- 6''x4'' piece of dried kombu
- 1 cup bonito flakes
- 1/3 cup white miso paste
- 1/2 block of soft or silken tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1 Tbsp cut wakame, reconstituted
- 3 Tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
- To make the dashi, combine water and kombu in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and discard kombu.
- Stir in bonito flakes and cover pot. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain out bonito flakes.
- While steeping bonito flakes, reconstitute 1 Tbsp cut wakame in a bowl of cold water. Distribute wakame and cut tofu into soup bowls.
- Remove 1 cup of dashi broth and mix with miso paste. Stir until smooth and then return to pot. Stir contents to distribute.
- Pour broth over prepared soup bowls. Garnish with scallions and serve.
