Making Miso Soup
The soul of this dish lives in the dashi. By combining water with kombu and bonito flakes, you create a base that supports the salty, earthy notes of the miso without overpowering them.
Mind the heat
Miso paste is a delicate ingredient. If you boil the soup after adding it, you lose the complexity and the suspension of the paste will break.
- small saucepan
- fine-mesh strainer
- whisk or small bowl
What goes in.
- 4 cupswater
- 1 piece (4-inch)dried kombu
- 1 cupkatsuobushi (bonito flakes)
- 3-4 tbspmiso paste (white or red)
- 1/2 cupsilken tofu, cubed
- 1 tbspscallions, thinly sliced
Dissolving before entry
Never drop a lump of miso directly into the hot pot. Ladle a small amount of warm broth into a bowl, whisk it with the miso until smooth, then return that slurry to the pot.
The method.
Steep the kombu
Place water and kombu in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove the kombu just before the water hits a simmer, as boiling it makes the broth bitter.
Extract the umami
Increase heat slightly, add the bonito flakes, and let them steep for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot.
Add tofu
Return the dashi to the stove on low heat and add the tofu cubes. Warm them gently for 2 minutes.
Finish with miso
Remove the pot from the heat entirely. Temper the miso paste as described in the technique callout, whisk it into the broth, and garnish with scallions.
Other turns to take.
Wakame
Add one tablespoon of dried wakame seaweed to the dashi while it warms; it will rehydrate and thicken the texture.
Vegetable base
Replace the bonito flakes with dried shiitake mushrooms to create a fully plant-based dashi.
When it doesn't go to plan.
White miso is mild and sweet, while red miso is bolder and saltier; adjust the quantity based on the strength of your paste.
The broth should be clear, not cloudy; do not squeeze the bonito flakes in the strainer, as this releases impurities.
Use silken tofu rather than firm; it absorbs the flavor of the broth better and provides a smoother mouthfeel.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I reheat the soup later?
Yes, but reheat it gently on the stovetop. Keep the heat low and pull it off the burner as soon as you see steam, or the miso will separate.
What if I do not have kombu?
You can use dashi granules dissolved in water, though the flavor will be less nuanced than a homemade kombu-bonito infusion.
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