Miso soup #3

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
4 cups Dashi stock
4 tablespoons Miso (red for Tokyo style; white for Kansai--or Osake/ Kyoto areas)
3 tablespoons Soy sauce (note 1)
1 ounce (6 inch strip) konbu (kelp); about
1 cup Dried katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
4 cups Water

Directions

DASHI STOCK

From: Midori Yenari <yenari@...> Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 12:07:07 -0700 NOTE 1: (Kikkoman or other Japanese style, not everyone adds this, but since one of my grandmothers came from the Tokyo area, I am guessing this is why my mother adds it. Tokyo style dishes tend to be a bit saltier than Kansai)

I am posting this basic recipe for miso soup (miso shiru) for anyone interested in what has been passed down in our family. This is based on the type of miso shiru made by my mother and grandmothers who probably learned how to make it back in the Meiji period of Japan (1900 or so). I am sure the soup has taken on variations over the years both in Japan and in the US.

*To make dashi stock, put about 1 oz (6 inch strip) of konbu (kelp) and 1 c. dried katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) into 4 c. water. Heat to boiling, reduce and simmer for about 15 minutes, then strain. Instant dashi can be substituted according to the directions on the box.

To make miso shiru, mix a few teaspoons of dashi into the miso to dissolve the miso, then add to hot but not boiling dashi. Add soy sauce.

The contents of miso shiru vary. A typical one might be tofu (soft) cubes and wakame (seaweed) topped with fresh green onion slices (sliced very thinly).

A few things about Japanese cuisine that is different from other Asian cuisines:

Oil is used less often. Dishes which resemble stir fry are actually cooked in a combination of dashi, soy sauce and sweet rice wine. Ingredients which are added to miso shiru are typically added fresh or have been wilted in boiling water.

Garlic is rarely used. In fact, I have never seen my mother or grandmother use it in Japanese style cooking.

Chiles/hot peppers are also rarely used as well as regular onions. (Except in curry rice.)

Miso shiru can be eaten every day. It is often a part of Japanese style breakfast. While I do not know of any legitamite health claims, many Japanese eat miso shiru in the belief that it is healthy.

EAT-L Digest 4 August 96

From the EAT-L recipe list. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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