Make miso soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner

But you will first need Miso, which can be found in many grocery stores. For the best selection and other ingredients you will need, I recommend that you go to a Japanese grocery store or any Asian grocer near you. You will find many varieties of miso, each with its own character.

To help sort the options, I contacted Namiko Hirasawa Chen, creator of a single kitchen book, a site dedicated to Japanese home cooking. It is an invaluable resource for all those who want to have a delicious meal on the table. (My son says that the Teriyaki pork by Chen Donburi is “fire”.)

In Japan you will find hundreds of Miso types, says Chen. But in the United States, the most common types are red, white and yellow miso. There is also Awase Miso, a mixture of two or more kinds. Miso is made with a fermentation starter (Koji) combined with soy and salt. Rice Koji is the most common, although you will sometimes find soy or barley.

“If you are new in Miso, the easiest way to shop is by color. For a more daring flavor and a more salty taste, opt for red miso. Choose the white miso for a softer, less salty and more delicate taste, ”she says. “Remember that each type of miso has a different level of salinity and intensity. My advice is to taste the flavor and decide how much you add to your soup. It is best to add less miso at the start, taste your soup, then add more according to your preferences. “Chen encourages cooks at home to keep several types of miso at hand and to experiment with different combinations of flavors. But if you are looking for a starting point, it recommends the Kodawattemasu of Hikari for its rich and deep Umami flavor.

The other key to making Miso soup is dashi, Japanese stock. It’s fast and easy if you have the necessary ingredients: Kombu (dried Varech) and Katsuobushi (dried Bonito flakes). It is also available in the form of powder and practical packet; The packages have a surprisingly taste close to the house, says Chen. “You should use Dashi in a Miso soup for an authentic Japanese taste. It has a Umami Signature flavor which is essential to Japanese cuisine. Please do not substitute the chicken broth or water, because they do not have the separate flavor of the Japanese soup broth. »»

Here is Chen’s recipe for traditional miso soup with tofu, the genre you probably know about Japanese restaurants. I love to do it for breakfast. I’m going to eat it with a bowl of smoking rice and umeboshi, marinated plums, sometimes adding grilled salmon if I have it. Miso soup is preferable when it is cool, so get ready as you need both. You can do the dashi in advance, so it will not take long. A good report to start is 1 tablespoon of miso to 1 cup of dashi. Then taste and adjust.

Miso soup can also be a canvas for creativity. “In Japan, we cherish the change of the seasons and take advantage of many variations in the Miso soup with products and proteins in season,” explains Chen. “In the spring, I do miso soup with cabbage or mania (Asari) clams. In summer, I will add fresh sweet corn or sliced ​​tombo. We also appreciate the refreshing soup of the cold Miso when the weather is very hot! In the fall, she could add kabocha and the cold asks Tonjiru, made of pork and vegetables.

This recipe is your starting point. The rest depends on you.

Miso soup with tofu

SERE 4

Dashi

4 cups of water

1 large Kombu song (dried Varech), about 10 grams or a 4 -inch square

1 cup of packed katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

1 and 1 In a medium saucepan, mix the water and the kombu. If you have time, let the kombu dip for 30 minutes. On a medium-bass flame, slowly heat the water, for about 10 minutes. Just before he reaches boiling, remove the kombu. (For a vegan or vegetarian miso soup, you can stop here and use this dashi kombu as a base.)

2 Add the katsuobushi to the pot and bring to a boil. Briefly reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 seconds.

3 and 3 Remove the fire pot and let Katsuobusi stop for 10 minutes. Filter the liquid in a container. Use immediately, store covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.

Miso soup

4 tablespoons of miso

7 ounces of soft tofu or silk, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 tablespoon of dried wakame algae

1 organization chart, cut into thin bullets

1 and 1 In a medium saucepan, brings the dashi to simmer over medium heat. Turn off the fire.

2 Put the miso in a ladle, then lower the ladle in the pot until the miso is just immersed in a dashi, stirring the dough in the broth with chopsticks or a fork to incorporate. (Alternatively, you can dissolve the miso in a small bowl in a little dashi, then stir in the pot.) Depending on the size of your ladle, you may want to do it 1 or 2 tablespoons of miso at the same time. Taste as you go until you love it.

3 and 3 When the miso is completely dissolved and stirred in the dashi, slide gently into the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them. Let the soup warm them; If necessary, put the pot back to a low flame to warm up.

4 Add the wakame and green onions to the pot, then serve, swing in individual bowls.

Adapted from Namiko Hirasawa Chen, Just a kitchen book

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