Japanese miso soup is a delicious way to start our Japanese feast. Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that is combined with the dashi or seaweed broth that is flavored with bonito flakes. Tofu is added to the broth along with some scallions for a warm and inviting simple soup. This is a very common soup dish in Japan and is often sipped directly from the bowl. The louder you slurp the better, it shows you like it! Also as a side note, if you are making the shabu-shabu as well, it also uses dashi (the broth) so be sure to make enough for both.
Japanese Miso Soup
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup bonito flakes
- 1 4 inch piece dashi kombu (dried kelp)
- 1/2 12 ounce package tofu, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon dried wakame
- 3 tablespoons miso paste
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Heat water in a large pot over low heat. Add kombu and cook until the mixture just begins to simmer. Stir bonito flakes into kombu mixture until combined. Remove pot from the heat and let dashi sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside.
- Heat 3 1/2 cups dashi in a pot over medium heat. Add tofu and wakame; stir to combine. Remove 1 cup warmed dashi to a small bowl and whisk in miso paste. Pour miso mixture back into the pot with remaining dashi. Stir until warmed through.
- Serve garnished with chopped green onions.
