Miso – a fermented soybean paste, has been a mainstay of Japanese cooking for hundreds of years. It is a source of valuable healing enzymes, helps build up our blood, aids digestion, and is particularly useful in the assimilation of carbohydrates. There are many varieties of miso, ranging from white, lightly aged barley miso to dark brown soy miso. Generally, the more it is aged the darker the color and stronger the flavor. It might be good to start with a milder variety and work your way up to the hard stuff. Because enzymes are destroyed by heating food above 118 degrees F, and some of their power is lost above 105 degrees F, miso should always be added after all other ingredients have achieved their desired consistency.
Miso Soup Recipe
This recipe comes from Lee at ‘Mana’, one of our all-time favorite restaurants in New York.
Ingredients
1 strip kombu rinsed (approximately 3 inch piece)
4 cups water
3 tablespoons white mellow miso paste
1 teaspoon tamari
Carrots, Scallions, Cauliflower, etc… (Optional)
Directions
Bring water with Kombu to a boil. Then simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove Kombu.
Remove from heat and pour about ½ cup of the broth into a separate small bowl. Add Miso into the bowl and mix until smooth.
Slowly stir the Miso into the soup.
Add Tamari and serve.
(Add Carrots, Cauliflower or other Veggies, if desired, with the Kombu, extending the simmer time until they’re cooked.)
You can also try adding cooked Brown Rice or Buckwheat Noodles, just before serving.
