One of my very first jobs in college was waitressing at a sushi restaurant in Beverly Hills. I attribute my “sushi snobbiness”, as I call it, to this restaurant – they brought in fresh fish from the market every single morning to ensure their fish was the freshest cut in town. But this recipe isn’t about sushi or fresh fish, in fact it’s about something completely non-revolutionary, but something that I absolutely cannot have my sushi without: miso soup.
As simple as it is, I truly believe there’s a complexity to miso soup that many places lack – even if the process itself is ‘simple’. I’ve tasted miso soups at a large handful of places, from the sushi restaurant I used to work at to Japanese restaurants throughout the States and in other countries. The worst miso soups I’ve had fall flat in terms of umami, or have an incredible amount of salt that makes my heart palpitate. On the other hand, the best miso soups I’ve had have a special complexity that I attribute to the presence of dashi, and when done well, it gives a flavor so pure and balanced that it’s hard not to crave more.
“It is thought that miso originated as a fermented food in ancient China. It is most likely that it was introduced to Japan via mainland China and the Korean Peninsula in the Asuka period during the 7th Century. The characters for ‘miso’ first appeared in literature during the Heian period.”
-Marukome
3-Ingredient Miso Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp Low Sodium Miso Paste with Dashi
- 2.5 cups Water
- 4 tbsp Green Onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup Soft Tofu (cut into small cubes)
Instructions
- Add water and miso paste to a small pot and bring to a slow simmer over medium low heat, stirring constantly until miso paste is fully dissolved.
- Meanwhile, cut tofu into small cubes.
- Then, slice green onion as thin as possible.
- Add tofu to small pot and simmer gently, around 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add green onion just before serving.
- Optional: add kombu strips to soup for added flavor.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
