味噌汁
Miso Soup
SERVES 4 AS A STARTER
1½ teaspoons dried wakame pieces
200 g (7 oz) silken firm tofu, cut into 1.5 cm (5/8 in) cubes
1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
875 ml (3½ cups) dashi II (here) or konbu dashi (here)
100 g ( 1/3 cup) red or white miso, or a mixture of both
Soak the wakame in cold water for 5 minutes, or until rehydrated and glossy but not mushy. Drain well, then divide among four small Japanese soup bowls. Divide the tofu and the spring onion among the bowls.
Pour the dashi into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Combine the miso with 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of the dashi stock in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Return the miso mixture to the saucepan and stir until combined—be careful not to boil the broth as this will diminish the flavour of the miso. Ladle into the bowls until they are two-thirds full.
Sip the miso soup from the bowl—rest the bowl in your left hand and tilt to your lips with your right. You can use chopsticks to eat the solid ingredients.
