Soups

Miso Soup

Classic miso soup with homemade dashi, silken tofu, wakame and scallion, from NYT Cooking. Serves 4, about 50 minutes (mostly hands-off soaking and steeping). Contains fish (bonito, optional) and soy.

Ingredients

• Dashi (soup base):
  • 5-inch square kombu (dried kelp)
  • 2 cups loosely packed katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
• Toppings and add-ins:
  • 5 grams wakame (dried seaweed), crushed (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 (14-ounce) package silken tofu, drained
  • 1/4 cup miso, red or white, plus more to taste
  • 1 large scallion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Make the dashi: soak the kombu in 4 cups cold water in a medium pot for 15 minutes.
2. Add the sake and mirin and bring to a simmer over high heat. Take the pot off the heat just as it starts to boil, cover, and let sit 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, soak the wakame in a small bowl of water for 15 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
4. When ready to serve, remove the kombu. Stir the katsuobushi into the broth, cover, and steep 1 minute.
5. Strain into a medium bowl, pressing the flakes to get all the liquid out. Discard the flakes.
6. Return the dashi to the pot and add the drained wakame. Spoon in the tofu, leaving it in large chunks.
7. Bring the soup to a boil, then remove from the heat.
8. Put the miso in a small bowl, ladle in some broth, and stir to dissolve. Add it to the pot and stir gently until incorporated.
9. Add the scallion, adjust seasoning to taste, and serve immediately.

Notes

• White (shiro) miso is milder and sweeter; red (aka) miso is bolder, darker and more umami-rich.
• Skip the bonito flakes to make it vegan/vegetarian.
• Don't toss the kombu: slice it into thin strips for pasta, soups, stews or salads.

Storage

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
• For best flavor, store the dashi separately. Reheat it over low heat, then add the miso and toppings.

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