Miso Soup
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What is miso?
Miso is considered a super food by some natural healers and is usually made from fermented soybeans, koji (grain inoculated with Aspergillus culture), salt, and water.
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What types of miso are there?
The two basic kinds are white (shiro) and red (aka) miso. Shiro miso is mild and sweet, while ada miso is saltier and stronger in taste. However, similar to cheese, there are different types of miso depending on the kinds of grain, beans, salt, and fermentation processes used.
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Tradition
Japanese miso tradition is rich, deliberate, and detailed. Traditionally made miso requires participation from the entire family and includes long processes like slow cooking soybeans and handmade koji in a carefully constructed environment of specific heat, humidity, and low oxygen.
What about health benefits?
Even a quick review for health benefits online and in books returns studies showing health benefits of miso. Some studies even show miso protects against stomach cancer. People even attribute atomic survivors in Nagasaki, Japan relief and prevention of radiation sickness to miso soup! I found this in The Book of Macrobiotics, by Michio Kushi.
What else goes in miso soup?
In addition to my base that is almost always kombu, yellow onion, and ginger, what else goes in depends on my mood entirely! Sometimes it’s simple with just a few pieces of tofu, arame, and green onion. Other times, I’ll add everything from burdock root, broccoli, chard, collard greens, turnips, cabbage, carrots, fennel to shiitake.
This is the recipe I use regularly from Bettina.
Please use good quality miso, vary between long fermented (dark brown) and short fermented (light brown) miso. For regular use Chickpea miso, Azuki Bean Miso, Brown Rice Miso – brands: Miso Master, Eden Foods, Mitoku (Natural Import Company).
Soak some wakame (1/4 to ½ inch piece per person) for approximately 5 minutes and cut it into small pieces. (I almost always modify this step with adding ginger and yellow onion).
Add the wakame to fresh, cold water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut some vegetables into small pieces.
Add the vegetables into the boiling broth and boil all together for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and edible.
Reduce flame to low.
Dilute miso (½ - 1 teaspoon of miso per cup of broth) in a little water, add to soup, and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes on a low flame. Please note to avoid boiling the soup once the miso has been added.
Additional directions from Bettina are:
Please simmer the soup 2 – 3 minutes after you’ve added the diluted miso paste to the broth.
Please vary the vegetables often.
Occasionally, a small portion of dried (soaked and finely sliced) shiitake mushrooms may be added to the cooked vegetables.
Include leafy greens often at the end of the cooking process.
Occasionally, use left over grain or beans to thicken your soup.
Sliced tofu or mochi may be used occasionally before adding the miso paste.
Garnish the soup with a small amount of finely chopped fresh parsley, scallions or chives before serving.
Please try to cook one fresh soup each day and avoid using too many leftovers.
