Miso Soup with Tofu
- 1 quart Dashi (page 162)
- 1/3 cup dark or other miso
- 1/4 pound any tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup minced carrot
- 4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
- Heat the dashi in a medium saucepan just until bubbles begin to form along its edges.
- Turn the heat to low, then mix about 1/2 cup of the dashi with the miso in a bowl or blender; whisk or blend until smooth.
- (If you have an immersion blender, the fastest and easiest tool here, do this in a tall measuring cup.)
- Pour the miso mixture back into the hot dashi and add the tofu and carrot; stir once or twice and let sit for a minute, just long enough to heat the tofu through.
- Add the scallions and serve.
- Use water or light chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (page 160 or 162) instead of dashi.
- Proceed as directed, adding a bit more miso if necessary.
- Substitute 1/2-inch cubes of peeled shrimp or boneless, skinless chicken for the tofu.
- Cook for 2 minutes or until nearly done.
- Add the carrot and, when the soup is done, the scallions.
- Start with water and add about 1/2 pound not-too-lean thinly sliced pork (preferably from the shoulder) or beef (sirloin is good), along with a piece of kombu (dried kelp, page 484), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon mirin.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low.
- Remove the kombu and simmer until the meat is tender.
- Mix about 1/2 cup of this broth with the miso as above, return to the simmering broth, and proceed as directed.
- In a covered pot over high heat, steam open 24 tiny clams (cockles are best) in about 1/2 cup water; they will be done when open, in about 10 minutes.
- Cool a bit, then remove the clams from the shells (pry open any that dont pop) and rinse them in the broth.
- Strain and reserve the broth.
- Proceed as directed, starting with either dashi or water and adding the clams and broth instead of the tofu in step 2.
miso, cubes, carrot, scallions
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/miso-soup-with-tofu-385813 (may not work)