Miso Soup (meal-sized! vegetarian!)

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riginthering
riginthering Posts: 67
in Recipes
I'm allergic to fish and shellfish, so I can't hang with most misos that have a dashi base. However, boiling a square inch of dried kelp (konbu) in a whole pot of water will add a dashi-like flavor. I've also made goma-dare (sesame sauce) with kelp stock, and it tastes perfect.

SO:
Ingredients:
Water. Like, a lot.
1 or 2-inch square of konbu
2 tablespoons yellow or red miso paste (the darker the stronger the flavor) Check to make sure the paste doesn't have dashi (fish) in it already.
1 block medium or soft tofu. NOT silken. NOT firm or extra-firm.
1/2 bulb of garlic
1 inch square piece of ginger, peeled and ground or finely grated.
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
4 shiitake mushrooms (try for fresh or frozen, but you can also buy dried and rehydrate them...it's just a pain in the *kitten*)
1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 bunch green onions
Wakame or baby spinach
1 tbsp peanut or olive oil (peanut is better - more neutral flavor)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, sautee the garlic, onion, ginger, and mushrooms in the oil with the sea salt until the onions are translucent. Stir in the miso paste and coat everything thoroughly (this will make it easier to make sure you don't have any chunks of miso hiding in the cloudy broth).

Pour in water until about 2-3 inches from top of pot. Drop in the konbu. Cover and bring to boil.

Cube the tofu in 1-inch chunks. Slice the green onions finely. Lay out the wakame or baby spinach.

If you want to be fancy, put the tofu in a smaller pot and ladle a couple cups of the broth over it. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. This will keep the broth from getting too mucky-looking.

When the soup has boiled, remove the konbu. If you're into that sort of thing, you can cut the konbu into fine strips with kitchen shears and put it back in the soup.

To serve, put a 5-8 pieces of tofu in a large bowl and cover with a small handful of wakame or baby spinach. Ladle the hot soup over it and sprinkle with the green onions. Let it sit for a minute for the heat to cook the seaweed/spinach a little and heat up the tofu if you weren't being fancy.

Replies

  • pacsqueen
    pacsqueen Posts: 88
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    this looks great! thanks!!!
  • riginthering
    riginthering Posts: 67
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    You're very welcome! When I lived in West L.A., I used to *live* at this boba shop that also served *amazing* miso soup that was enough for a meal! I've never been able to recreate it, but I try!
  • rachelrkane
    rachelrkane Posts: 13 Member
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    Bump
  • rebeccasquared
    rebeccasquared Posts: 2 Member
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    I make something similiar. I add a ton of carrots and then at the end I add a bunch of kale.

    You can also put a piece of seaweed in a pot of beans if you're making them from scratch. The beans will leech out the nutrients from the seaweed and also make them a bit salty.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    I really love miso soup. It used to be a staple breakfast food in my house. I need to get back to that.

    I prefer it with wakame seeweed and sprinkled nori on top after it is finished. Wakame gives it the right silky mouth feel for me. And it's available at a lot more stores now, like whole foods.
  • joylotus
    joylotus Posts: 18 Member
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    This looks like a super-hearty take on miso soup! Adore! Will give it a try.
  • riginthering
    riginthering Posts: 67
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    I live in a super-Asian area of Southern California. Asian food all up in this shiz, but I can't deal with seaweed, but whatever works for you! ^.^

    Also, my husband is Chinese-Thai and I went to UCLA so 70% of the food I cook is Asian inspired.

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