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A classic comfort food, miso soup is the bowl I turn to when I need something cozy and comforting yet light. It’s the perfect start to a meal or the most satisfying way to warm up on a cold day. If you’ve never made miso soup before, you may be surprised at how easy it is to make homemade. If you’re looking to try your hand at making this classic soup, keep reading on for all of my the best tips on making this Japanese staple:
To make miso soup, the first thing you need to do is make the dashi. Start by placing your kombu into a pot of water and bringing it to a simmer. Once the water begins to simmer, remove the kombu. Allow the stock to come to a boil and then add in the bonito flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the stock to simmer to cook for around 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, taking care to press the solids to release as much liquid as possible. This will make sure you get as much flavor as you can out of the dashi.
Then return the dashi to the same pot and let it come back up to a simmer. Once simmering, whisk in the miso until dissolved, then add in the scallions and wakame and turn off the heat.
Divide the silken tofu among serving bowls and pour the finished soup over to serve.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
A general rule to follow when looking for serving ideas with Japanese recipes is ichiju-sansai or 1 soup, 3 sides. Rice is a must, though which rice you prefer—white rice, black rice, sticky rice, or other—is up to you, then some sort of pickled vegetable, like kimchi, and another side, generally a protein, like our soy-marinated eggs or miso butter cod, or another vegetable like our steamed edamame. The sides are totally changeable each time, but the main idea is finding a sort of balance that fits together well and covers all your dietary needs.
Miso soup is generally best enjoyed the day of, but if you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for around 2 to 3 days.
large piece kombu (about 4")
bonito flakes
white miso
sliced scallions
dried wakame
silken tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
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