Japanese Dashi and Miso Soup Recipe

Miso soup is a classic Japanese side dish to accompany a wide variety of meals or to serve as a appetizer before a meal. Making a good miso soup is very very easy and I found this really simple basic recipe to add a little extra something warm to a meal on a cold rainy day in Japan or as a nice appetizer for hungry guests as they wait for the main course.


To make miso soup you have to first make Dashi which is a type of soup stock/base that is used in a lot of Japanese dishes including miso soup or simmered tofu, fish or vegetables. It can also be added to vinaigrettes for salads.


This recipe for miso soup serves 2 people.

Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 ~10x10xcm sheet Kombu (type of seaweed)
2 pinches of Bonito Flakes (shaved flakes of dried fish) maybe about 1/4 -1/2 cup
1/2 cup Green Onion chopped
4 tbsp Miso paste (NOT red miso)

Primary Ingredients for Miso Soup

You can also optionally add other ingredients such as cabbage, tofu, etc. for additional substance. For vegetarian miso soup just leave out bonito flakes.

Method:
Step 1. First make dashi  by boiling water, kombu and bonito flakes.  I typically add the bonito flakes after the water is boiling with the kombu but some recipes say to add this even later and other say you should even soak the kombu before boiling. The kombu should soften completely and the water should change colour a little bit.You will be able to smell and taste when it is ready. I typically boil it on a medium heat for at least half an hour.

Step 2. You can optionally strain out the kombu and bonito flakes or leave these in. Mostly the bonito flakes are not left in and the kombu is cut into smaller pieces and left in the soup.

Step 3. Let dashi cool on a low heat and add miso paste when it is no longer boiling. Stir well.

Step 4. Serve and top with green onion and any other desired toppings.

Enjoy!