SERVES 4
Miso is a fermented soybean paste that has been a staple in the Chinese and Japanese diet for over 2,000 years. Many people in Japan begin their day with a bowl of miso soup, thought to aid digestion and help detoxify the body. Miso is dissolved slowly into a hot soup base called dashi—a light, smoky fish stock made from kelp and dried bonito flakes. Although dashi is easy to make, most people opt for a dried powder that comes in premeasured packets called hondashi. This recipe is by Debra Samuels, author of My Japanese Table.
2 tablespoons dried wakame seaweed
4 cups dashi stock (recipe follows, or use packets of dashi powder and follow directions; vegetarian stock is also very good)
¼ cup white (mellow) miso
Half 8-ounce block (250 grams) soft (silken) tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 scallion, chopped finely
Add the wakame and 1 cup of water to a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until the seaweed is softened. Drain the seaweed, rinse with cold water, and chop coarsely. Set aside.
Bring the dashi to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, about 3 minutes.
Place the miso in a ladle. Submerge the ladle about one third of the way into the hot dashi. With a pair of chopsticks or a spoon, dilute the miso, little by little, into the dashi until dissolved.
Add the tofu and seaweed and heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the scallion and serve immediately.
| Nutritional Profile | |
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
|---|---|
| Calories: | 164 |
| Protein: | 15 g |
| Fiber: | 7 g |
| Fat: | 5 g |
| Saturated fat: | 1 g |
| Sodium: | 1,760 mg |
| Vitamin A: | 872 IU |
| Vitamin C: | 4 mg |
| Vitamin E: | 1 IU |
| Zinc: | 1 mg |
| Beta-carotene: | 32 µg |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin: | 43 µg |