Here in the States we typically only see two kinds of miso soup- the standard sushi bar wakame and tofu miso or instant miso. However, in Japan, many people eat miso every day, so there are tons of different kinds of miso soup- many of which don’t even really have a recipe per se, because people just tend to add whatever ingredients they have on hand.
The following recipe is just one of the many different kinds of authentic miso soup you might find in Japan, and will give your menu a little more variety. You can find aburaage in most Asian grocery stores (some health food stores may also carry it- it will most likely be in the same refrigerated section as tofu and other soy products, but it may also be in the freezer section). This recipe makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 square aburaage (deep fried tofu pouch)
- 1/2 small sweet onion
- 4 cups dashi
- 4-5 tablespoons shiro miso paste (white miso paste)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
Method:
- Rinse aburaage under hot water to remove any oil (manufacturer’s oil tastes bad), and pat dry with paper towels. Cut aburaage in half, and then cut into thin strips.
- Slice onion very thinly.
- Boil dashi. Add aburaage and onion to dashi and cook until onion becomes tender.
- Reduce heat to low and dissolve miso paste in the dashi. Take care not to boil, as boiling can ruin the flavor of miso.
- Add green onions and remove from heat, and serve.