Miso Soup for #SundaySupper

Miso Soup

Construction is still ongoing in my apartment. This past week, my refrigerator was in my dining room, my dishwasher was normally where my refrigerator stands and my kitchen sink along with one side of my kitchen cabinets were missing. Good thing I prepared this appetizer before everything was torn down.

This week's #SundaySupper theme is soups. I prepard a miso soup appetizer a couple of months after I started my first website however, I had no clue what I was doing so I wanted to revisit the dish. Enter Nami of Just One Cookbook. I discovered her almost two years ago and she has since become my authority for Japanese cuisine.

One of the things I found fascinating when preparing this soup is that fundamentally, the preparation is the same between it and many Western soups. It starts off with a stock and then flavor is added to it. In this case, the stock is called a dashi, which is made from kelp and bonito, and the flavor is miso paste, which is commonly made from fermented soybeans. According to Nami, there are many variations of dashi because it is a component in many other Japanese dishes. Nami also notes that dashi packets and instant dashi can be purchased but I don't take shortcuts here so I will make awashe dashi from scratch. Many of these ingredients are not stocked by American supermarkets, but can easily be found in specialty Asian grocery stores.

The Challenge

I would not normally publish a dish such as this because the preparation isn't very complicated but the challenge here isn't difficulty; it's authenticity.

The Source

I encourage you to check out Nami's tutorial on how to make dashi because she took some amazing step-by-step pictures that I was not able to replicate. I started with step 4 of her miso soup recipe because she used a dashi packet for the soup in the post.

Ingredients

0.7 ounces (20 grams) dashi kombu
2 cups loosley packed Hana Katsuo or Katsuobushi bonito flakes
1 quart water
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons white miso paste
5 ounces soft tofu, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 teaspoon dried wakame (optional)
1 green onion cut crosswise into rings (optional)

Method

1. Gently clean the kombu with a damp cloth but leave the white powdery substance. Score the sides of the kombu using kitchen shears. Place water in a medium saucepan and add the kombu and soak for 3 to 12 hours.

2. Slowly bring the water to just short of a boil (bubbles have formed on the bottom of the saucepan) over medium-low heat, approximately 20-25 minutes, skimming the surface periodically to remove any impurities.

3. Once the water has formed the bubbles, remove the kombu. Remove from heat and let it cool. Once cool, add the bonito flakes and bring to a boil, and continue skimming any impurities. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Let the mixture sit for ten minutes so the bonito flakes can settle to the bottom of the saucepan. Line a strainer with a paper towels and set it over a large bowl. Strain out the bonito flakes, reserving the fluid (dashi).

4. While the bonito flakes settle, add the wakame to a small bowl filled with water to rehydrate, approximately 10 minutes. Once rehydrated, add the wakame and the green onion to serving bowls.

5. Return the fluid to a simmer and add the miso, dissolving it in a ladle and 1 tablespoon at a time, tasting in between additions because miso paste can have a high concentration of sodium. Stir in the tofu cubes, adding 1/2 tablespoon more miso if needed because the tofu can dilute the miso. Spoon the soup into the serving bowls with the wakame and onions and serve immediately.

Successful?

About a week after I prepared this soup, Mrs. Stuntman wanted sushi. I ordered a bento box which came with a bowl of miso soup, however I was disappointed with it and preferred the homemade variety.

Nami notes that the used kombu and the bonito flakes can be reserved to make niban dashi, which is a less concentrated form used in other dishes where the flavors of the dashi are secondary to other ingredients. If you aren't familiar with her, I strongly suggest getting to know her. Please 'Like' her on facebook, follow her on twitter and pinterest in addition to adding her on G+.

Other Sunday Supper Participants

And finally, please check out this week's other Sunday Supper participants:

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken {or other poultry} soups)

• Chicken Tortellini & White Bean Soup at Flour On My Face
• Chicken Gnocchi at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Chicken Cheese Soup by There and Back Again
• Chicken Tortellini Soup by Country Girl In The Village
• Chicken Soup with Leeks, Onions and Fennel by Shockingly Delicious
• Family Style Tablescape featuring Chicken Tortilla Soup by An Appealing Plan
• Yucatan Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) by The Weekend Gourmet
• Chicken Meatball, Spinach and Orzo Soup from Gourmet Drizzles
• Ground Turkey Soup at The Messy Baker
• Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Turkey Meatball Soup by Basic and Delicious
• Chick-Fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup by Family Foodie
• Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup at Cupcakes and Pearls

Where's The Beef (Beef Soups)

• Chili with Black Beans by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetable and Beef Soup by Supper For a Steal
• Swabian Beef Spaetzle +1 Soup (Gaisburger Marsch) at Galactosemia in PDX
• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Beef Pho Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Frijol con Carne by MarocMama
• Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup) by Neighborfood

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups)

• Healthy Bean and Sausage Soup by Momma's Meals
• Smoked Sauage and Wild Rice Soup at Mama, Mommy, Mom
• Louisiana Caldo by Catholic Foodie
• Sweet potato and spanish chorizo soup at My Cute Bride
• Soft Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jjigae) by Hip Foodie Mom

Under The Sea (Seafood Soups)

• Shrimp Miso Noodle Soup at Pescetarian Journal
• Szechuan Fish Soup by The Urban Mrs.
• New England Clam Chowder at Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Okra Shrimp Gumbo Laced with Coconut Oil by Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Bacon and Shrimp Bisque at Big Bear's Wife
• Lobster Bisque for Two by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chinese Fish Maw Soup by My Trials in The Kitchen
• Thai Curry Coconut Mussel Soup by Noshing With The Nolands

Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o' Vegetables Soups)

• Not-So-Mini-Strone at The Army Foodie Wife
• French Onion Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Spicy Sweet Potato and Corn Soup at Magnolia Days
• Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup at Daily Dish Recipes
• Rather French Onion Soup by What Smells So Good
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
• Cream of Ancho Chile Soup from La Cocina de Leslie
• Pasta e Fagoli Soup at Cravings of a Lunatic
• Miso Soup by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Vegetable Consommé with Semolina Dumplings - Grießknödel at Masala Herb
• Vegetable Medley Soup with Broccoli and Leeks at Chattering Kitchen
• Smoky Kale and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Coconut Corn Chowder at Mangoes and Chutney
• Make Your Own (Gluten Free) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup at The Meltaways
• Ital Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup at The Lovely Pantry
• Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup at Curious Cuisiniere
• Corn Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips at Ninja Baking
• Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup by The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Wild Mushroom Soup at Food Lust People Love
• Creamy Carrot Soup at Cookistry
• Vermicelli Soup by Damn Delicious
• Country Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potatoes at girlichef

Some Don't Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)

• Chilled Strawberry Soup at Juanita's Cocina
• Bread and Tomato Soup - Gazpacho Style at Vintage Kitchen Notes