When Do You Eat Miso Soup?
If you're eating Miso soup in Japan, you're probably having breakfast. If you're enjoying Miso soup at lunch or dinnertime, then you're probably in the United States. If you have never eaten Miso soup, you're missing out on something delicious. Here's a recipe you can try:
Miso Soup
8 cups water
4 dried shittake mushrooms (or a 3-ounce package)
3 tablespoons sesame oil
6 green onions, sliced thin, separate white and green
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup medium diced silken tofu
5 tablespoons miso (preferably red or brown)
Pour 4 cups of water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the dried mushrooms. When the mushrooms are rehydrated, remove them from the liquid, let them cool a bit, and chop them. Save the liquid for later. (If you don't like the texture of mushrooms you don't have to add them to the soup.)
Heat sesame oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add scallion whites, ginger, and garlic. Cook for one minute. Add 4 cups water and 4 cups reserved liquid. Add mushrooms, baby spinach, tofu and miso. Bring to a simmer. Serve in bowls and garnish with scallion greens. You can top off the soup with cooked chicken or salmon, if you prefer.