Tofu & Wakame Miso Soup
Japan's everyday soup: a clear homemade kombu and bonito dashi with silky tofu and wakame, with the miso stirred in just before boiling to keep its aroma.
Method
Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp paper towel to remove any dust; don't wash off the white powder, it is pure flavour. Put the water and kombu in a 16 cm pot and soak for at least . Even better, soak it overnight in the fridge.
Add in this stepwater 450 mlkombu (dried kelp) 5 g
With the kombu still in, set the pot on medium-low heat and warm it slowly for . When small bubbles start rising around the edge of the pot, lift out the kombu just before it boils. Boiled kombu makes the broth slimy and gives it a seaweedy, bitter edge.
medium-low heatTurn up to medium-high heat and, as soon as it boils, add all the katsuobushi at once and switch off the burner (heat off). Don't stir; leave it for so the flakes sink to the bottom. Pour through a sieve lined with paper towel and let it drip through on its own; squeezing makes it astringent. This is your dashi.
Add in this stepkatsuobushi (bonito flakes) 8 g
medium-high heat→heat offSoak the wakame in plenty of cold water for , then squeeze it dry and cut any large pieces into bite-size bits. Cut the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes on a board or in your palm.
Add in this stepdried cut wakame 2 g
Rinse the pot, pour the dashi back in and set it on medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and wakame and heat for until the tofu is warm right through. Don't stir; shake the pot gently so the tofu doesn't break.
Add in this stepsilken tofu (or soft tofu) 100 g
medium heatLower the heat to low heat. Put the miso in a ladle, dip the ladle halfway into the soup and stir with chopsticks until the miso dissolves without lumps. Heat for and switch off as soon as the edge of the pot begins to bubble. Boiling after adding miso kills its aroma and makes it taste saltier.
Add in this stepmiso (mixed awase or white) 2 tbsp
low heatLadle into bowls, top with spring onion and serve right away. Miso settles as it stands, so give it a stir with your chopsticks before you drink.
Add in this stepspring onion, finely sliced 2 tbsp
Cook's tip
Short on time? Skip steps 1 to 3 and dissolve 1/2 tsp instant dashi granules per serving in hot water. Miso varies in saltiness, so start with 80% of the amount, taste, then add more. Never boil miso soup when reheating.
Cooking it at camp
Make the dashi at home and carry it in a bottle in the cooler; then one pot makes the soup in 5 minutes. Bring the tofu in its pack and scoop it in with a spoon; dried wakame can go straight into the soup and rehydrates in a minute. It warms you up fast on a cold morning.