Making Miso Soup
A good bowl of miso soup is about temperature control and the quality of your base. If you boil the miso, you kill the nuance; keep the flame low and the movement gentle.
Don't rush the dashi
The stock is the backbone of the soup. Use cold water to start, and remove the kombu before the water reaches a rolling boil to keep the flavor from turning bitter.
- medium saucepan
- fine mesh strainer
- small whisk or ladle
What goes in.
- 4 cupswater
- 4 inch piecedried kombu
- 1 cupkatsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- 3 to 4 tbspmiso paste (white or red)
- 1/2 blocksilken tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 stalksscallions, thinly sliced
Whisking off the heat
Place the miso in a ladle and submerge it partially into the hot broth. Use chopsticks or a small whisk to break the paste down into the liquid before releasing it fully into the pot.
The method.
Prepare the stock
Place water and kombu in the saucepan. Set to medium heat. Once small bubbles appear at the edges, remove the kombu.
Add the bonito
Bring the water to a brief simmer, add the bonito flakes, and turn off the heat immediately. Let them steep for 3 minutes until they sink to the bottom.
Strain the broth
Pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot, discarding the solids.
Add solids
Bring the dashi back to a gentle simmer. Add the tofu cubes and cook for 1 minute until warmed through.
Incorporate the miso
Turn off the heat. Temper the miso paste into the broth using the ladle method. Stir until fully dissolved.
Serve
Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions.
Other turns to take.
Wakame Miso
Add 1 tablespoon of dried wakame seaweed to the broth at the same time as the tofu; it will rehydrate and expand within a minute.
Earthier Miso
Use red miso instead of white for a punchier, longer-fermented flavor that holds up well against hearty additions like mushrooms.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always turn the burner completely off before adding the miso paste.
If your miso has grains of rice or barley in it, push it through a fine sieve to ensure a smooth, silky texture in the finished broth.
Taste your miso paste before adding; some varieties are significantly saltier than others.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use instant dashi granules?
Yes. If you are pressed for time, use 1 teaspoon of dashi granules per 4 cups of water instead of making the stock from scratch.
Why does my miso soup look grainy?
You likely added the miso while the soup was boiling or did not whisk it thoroughly. Always use the tempering method.
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