MISO SOUP w/TOFU Recipe

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Ingredients

This miso soup is much like the classic version you find in Japanese restaurants, with some added vegetables. Miso is a highly nutritious fermented bean and grain paste; you can find it in Japanese markets and at whole foods stores.
2 cups dashi (Japanese broth) or water
2 tablespoons dark miso paste
1 small carrot, peeled and cut in matchsticks or very thinly sliced
4 medium or 2 large mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and very thinly sliced
4 to 6 ounces (to taste) firm silken tofu, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped watercress or baby spinach
2 teaspoons snipped chives

Preparation

Step 1

1. Warm the dashi or water in a medium saucepan. Place the miso in a bowl, and ladle in about 1/2 cup of the warm dashi or water. Mix with a fork or whisk until the miso is well blended.

2. Bring the remaining broth or water to a simmer (not a boil), and add the dissolved miso. Mix together but do not allow to boil. Add the carrots, mushrooms, tofu, scallion and watercress or spinach. Bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat. Serve, garnishing each bowl with chives.

Advance preparation: The ingredients can be prepared hours in advance. The soup is last-minute.