Miso Soup

Recipe by: Leslie Brenner

If you have dashi — Japanese stock (usually made with bonito flakes and kombu) on hand, you can whip up miso soup in no time flat. My recipe is basic; you may want to use more or less miso depending on your preference and the flavor of the miso you’re using. The garnishes you choose are up to you as well — cubed or spooned chunks of tofu, sliced scallions and rehydrated wakame (seaweed) are often used. You could also use any kind of cooked vegetables that sounds good (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.), or thin-sliced raw mushrooms or onions (just let them cook a minute in the hot dashi first).

Serves 2, but you can double or triple it to serve more.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon wakame (dried seaweed, optional)

• 2 cups dashi (ichiban dashi or niban dashi)

• 2 tablespoons white miso, plus additional to taste

• 2 ounces soft tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice, or silken tofu, scooped at the last minute as explained i…