“soup or salad”? the server usually asks whenever I order a sushi or sashimi combo. Typically those type of entrees come with a side choice of miso soup or salad. Often, I always choose the miso because soups are my style of comfort food.
For me, a hearty pot of miso soup really hits the spot on cold night and I can always save some for the next day. Here are some benefits I find with miso soup:
- easy and quick to make
- filling
- high in protein
There are many types of miso’s on the market. For your reference, I pulled a snippet published by The Kichn on the different types of Miso:
White Miso: This miso is made from soybeans that have been fermented with a large percentage of rice. The actual resulting color can range from white to light beige, and the miso has a definite sweet taste. It’s best used in condiments like mayo or salad dressings, or in light sauces.
Yellow Miso: Yellow miso is usually made from soybeans that have been fermented with barley and sometimes a small percentage of rice. It can be yellow to light brown in color. This miso has a mild, earthy flavor and is better for general use in not only condiments, but soup, marinades, and glazes.
Red Miso: This is also typically made from soybeans fermented with barley or other grains, though with a higher percentage of soybeans and/or a longer fermentation period. It can range in color from red to dark brown. The deep umami flavor of red miso can overwhelm mild dishes, but is perfect for hearty soups, braises, and glazes.
Black Miso: Our information on black miso isn’t entirely clear. Some sources say this paste is made entirely from soybeans, others say that it’s made from soybeans fermented with hearty dark grains like buckwheat. Regardless, this sounds like the strongest flavored miso around
Everyone’s taste buds rejoice differently, so I’d recommend trying a few types to see which one delight’s you best!
I use yellow miso for my recipe.
{Beat The Cold! Comforting Miso Soup}
- 1 – 2 sheets dried roasted seaweed (you will be cutting this up into squares or, like me hand rip them into squares)
- Scallions
- Extra firm tofu
- 2 table spoons of miso paste – or follow the amount of miso to use on the packaging
- Handful of shitake mushrooms (ofcourse you can use other kinds, I’ve used enoki and simple button mushrooms before)
- Handful of kale (optional)
- ½ large carrot, peeled (optional)
- 6 cups water
This will serve 4 people, but since I’m 1 person, I have lots of left over. Also, note all the “optional” items. Like many of the things I make, there is lots of room to add ingredients to personal taste.
Bring water to a boil, and add in the shitake mushrooms and simmer until soft, and then add in the kale and tofu until cooked through. Turn off the heat.
Now, place the miso into a small bowl. Pour in some of the soup water, and soften the miso. Pour everything back into the pot and stir until the miso is well integrated into the soup.
Lastly, serve the dish by placing the shredded carrots ontop and float the torn dried seaweed and scallions on the surface of the delicious broth.
