Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Makes 6 bowls

• 1.5 liters (6¼ cups) water
• 300 g (10.5 oz) firm tofu (in the refrigerated section with the organic products)
• 3 Tbsp white miso paste (not red, it is much stronger, for this recipe)
• 6 small handfuls dried wakame seaweed (or kombu), no more, it will swell up!
• 350 g (12 oz) soba noodles (optional)
• mushrooms (optional but very good)
• scallion (green onion) stalks

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Miso soup is usually served with the starters, in a small bowl holding the miso broth and a garnish of tofu, seaweed and scallions (green onions). You can actually turn it into a real meal by adding soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles) and mushrooms, or even some bok choy. The important thing is to never let the miso boil, otherwise it loses its properties.

Preparing the garnish

1. Drain the tofu well and pat it dry with paper towels, then cut it into small cubes. Thinly slice the scallions and the mushrooms.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and cook the soba noodles for the time indicated on the package (4 minutes for me). Lower the heat to medium, add the seaweed, previously rehydrated in a little water, then the mushrooms, the tofu cubes and the scallions. Reduce to low heat and cover. In a bowl, dilute the miso paste in a little water. Add it to the pot. Continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring well so the miso flavors every element of the broth.

Serve hot in bowls.

Tips

• There is no need to add salt to this recipe, since the miso paste is already salty.
• It is better not to put the miso paste directly into the pot. You can either dissolve it in a little water or broth and then add it, as indicated in the recipe, or press it through a fine-mesh strainer held in contact with the water in the pot. The miso will dissolve as it passes through the fine mesh of the sieve.
• Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, so they are gluten-free! (Check the label: some brands blend in wheat flour.)
• For a 100% traditional version, you can add 1 tsp dashi powder to the water to make a broth.

If you love the flavor of Asian broths, you will probably enjoy the wonton soup in fragrant broth or the Peking hot and sour soup.