Miso Soup

Just made this for lunch, vegan-style by using sesame seeds and a drop of sesame oil instead of bonito flakes, nori instead of kombu, and rice vinegar instead of sake. Used white miso. It’s a very calming soup that was quick to make and perfect for a fall day! I usually have the miso paste much more concentrated, so this was nice and light. Will make it again!

If your bottle says "Aji-Mirin" that literally means Mirin Type and is not true Mirin. It still tastes great but behaves differently. I try to get real mirin, which also has a higher alcohol content. I'm a fan of a bit of Shiitake in my Dashi and 10 or so cleaned Asian Dried Anchovy - way more umami. I'm curious about taking the Kombu to boil? I've always been told to never let it boil as it will release a slime. Anyway, good stuff.

I cut the kombu into small dice and add them back to the soup. Kombu can be dried and reused but I have never tried that. You can get ready-made dashi in Asian groceries or on Amazon (Amazon has been a godsend when it comes to finding exotic ingredients.) Brad: I never had a problem with slime after cooking with kombu. Nice miso was added at the end without boiling. Miso should be added to hot soup when it's removed from the burner to retain its benefits. If reheated. just bring to simmer.

my epiphany with miso soup came when we were freezing in a snow-covered Nara deer park in Japan and felt close to death before we found a little hut place to eat in the park sat down and got miso soup which I had not eaten much before - not only did the broth feel lifesaving - but just watching the expanding-universe-mystery circulation of the miso from the center bottom of the bowl - was like a spiritual experience ever since I hold that the best miso soup exhibits this mystery circulation !

Great suggestion. Miso soup with a side of steamed rice is a favorite too-tired-cook meal in our house too. This is when I reach for the organic miso that has the dashi right in it to save time. In addition to tofu, I’ll put things like fresh green beans, kale strips, tiny garnet yam cubes, ginger matchsticks, scallions or chives and, lately, chili oil. The soup is ready before the rice is done. All told with cleanup 25 minutes tops!! And, it’s good year round!

Too many steps. Best to turn off heat just before kombu starts boiling. Add the katsoubushi to the pot after turning off heat. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain out kombu and katsuobushi at the same time. Add the dried wakame when boiling with the tofu. No need to presoak wakame.

I think that the difference between aji-mirin and real mirin is like night and day. I use Eden Mirin and find the extra cost totally worth it.

I make a lot of miso. All the comments and the recipe itself are on point. Just one addition. I would suggest adding the miso BEFORE the silken tofu. Sometimes it takes quite a bit of whisking/mixing to dissolve the miso adequately even if you have used a separate bowl. So adding the tofu last prevents you from pulverizing it.

High quality Miso is a healthful fermented food which has living organisms Less expensive miso is pasteurized, killing off the heathy organisms but it is easier to ship. It tastes ok but I prefer the higher quality as one uses so little and it lasts a long time in the fridg. The recipe shows the correct way to use miso by not boiling it.

Other classic add-ins for miso soup: Potato (sliced into quarter-inch-wide rounds, then quartered); 'abura-age' (deep-fried tofu, sliced into matchstick size); shiitake, 'nameko' or enoki mushrooms; carrot (sliced into matchsticks); onion (ditto); 'shijimi', tiny freshwater clams; daikon radish (sliced like the potatoes); spinach... etc. Add as appropriate for the length of time they need to soften; just don't let your soup boil once the miso is added, as it will result in a harsher flavor.

Do yourself a favor and get one of these Japanese miso soup strainers--it can be used for a lot more than making miso soup, though if that's all you used it for, it would still be well worth it. We've used ours (frequently) for 25 years or more. https://japanesetaste.com/products/shimomura-stainless-steel-miso-soup-strainer-29343

I was thrilled to see mention of Benkay in Portland ME . I cannot go to sushi places anywhere else because they are so amazing! If you go, try the shiitake miso soup... TO DIE FOR!!

This recipe is pretty much spot on to my grandma (age: 99!) and mom’s recipe which was was taught to me and practiced all of my life. I was also told to 1. Eat the kombu by slicing it thin. Waste nothing! And 2. Never, never, ever boil the miso even when reheating left overs for breakfast. It “kills” the healthy-ness of the miso and makes it tart tasting.

Word on the ambiguity--especially when there's like 3 different shapes of laminaria that you may find at stores. This the ratio that I practice: 10 g of kombu for 1 L of water. 10 g of katsuobushi for 1 L of water. 2-3 shiitake shrooms. Ideally, soak the kombu and shrooms overnight in the liter for better results. You can use one or any combination of ingredients together.

Kept in the fridge, almost all miso will last for years -- so using it regularly over a few months is fine.