Miso Soup

If you have dashi — Japanese stock (usually made with bonito flakes and kombu) on hand, you can whip up miso soup in no time flat. Our recipe is basic; you may want to use more or less miso depending on your preference and the flavor of the miso you’re using. The garnishes you choose are up to you as well — cubed or spooned chunks of tofu, sliced scallions and rehydrated wakame (seaweed) are often used. You could also use any kind of cooked vegetables that sounds good (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.), or thin-sliced raw mushrooms or onions (just let them cook a minute in the hot dashi first).

Serves 2, but you can double or triple it to serve more.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon wakame (dried seaweed, optional)

2 cups Dashi (ichiban dashi or niban dashi)

2 tablespoons white miso, plus additional to taste

2 ounces soft tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice, or silken tofu, scooped at the last minute as explained in the instructions

1 scallion, both white and green parts, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Place the wakame (if using) in a small bowl and add cold water to cover well. Let it soak 5 or 10 minutes, at which point it will be rehydrated and grown impressively in size. Drain and set aside.

2. Bring the dashi to a gentle simmer over medium heat in small saucepan. Meanwhile place the miso in a small bowl. Remove the dashi from the heat, and transfer a small ladleful of it into the miso. Whisk it together so it’s completely combined, then pour the mixture back into the pot with the rest of the dashi. Stir to combine well, then add the cubed soft tofu, or use a soup spoon to scoop spoonfuls of silken tofu into it. Divide the soup into two bowls.

3. Garnish each bowl with half of the wakame (if using), plus half the sliced scallions. Serve immediately.