A Taste of Japan

Have you ever wanted to go to Asia but didn’t have the time or money? Well, don’t you worry because today, we’ll bring Asia to you! In this post, I’m going to write about a soup that is a Japanese staple and so easy to prepare. Today, I needed to clean out the refrigerator which was full of little odds and ends. When this happens, it’s time for miso soup! Wait till you try this soup, you’ll make it everyday! Believe me homemade miso soup is way better than ones you find in many Asian restaurants…ya those bland soups with 2 pieces of lonely tofu floating on top and maybe 4 or 5 piece of green onions. Forget about that soup…it’s old news, history…have you forgotten yet? Good, let’s move on! This soup is so easy you can honestly use ANY left over veggies in ANY proportion. Here is what I did, but by all means, please experiment. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to miso soup: 4 carrots, finely sliced 1 bunch kale, chopped 1 tomato, chopped 5 green onions, chopped (or to taste) 1 package of soba noodles (optional but it adds a robust flavor) 2-4 Tbsp Mellow White Miso Cook the carrots in about 4 cups of water until slightly tender and then add the rest of the veggies. (ok..that’s not what I did! I just threw all the veggies in a pot and cooked them until they were tender…but I’m lazy, so don’t listen to me!) I don’t really measure the water content of miso soup because it’s totally up to you if you want it to be a thin or thick soup. In a separate pot, boil about 3-4 cups of water and add the soba noodles. (or follow the direction on the soba noodle package) I cook the noodles for about 4-5 min only. Soba noodles are made of buckwheat flour and are a very light and “earthy” tasting noodle. Once they are cooked, transfer the noodles into the pot with the veggie soup and add more water if you need to. I actually added about half the noodle water to the soup. You could be super efficient, or super lazy (depends on how you look at life) and cook the noodles in the soupy water with the veggies. I thought of that later…otherwise, that’s something I totally would have done and it would’ve saved me washing a pot. After the noodles are done, I let the veggies and noodles simmer for about 4-5 minutes. In the meantime, take out your Mellow White Miso (this has a “mellow” miso taste and is slightly sweet…it’s a great miso to use if you are not familiar with this product.) I add a few tablespoons of miso with about the same amount of water and mix it with a fork until it looks like a sauce. Then I pour the soup in a bowl and add the miso to the soup. (warning: do not cook the miso as it’ll destroy some of it’s delicate enzymes) Add a little miso sauce to the soup until you get the desired taste. I love miso, so I put a lot in my soups…but the amount you use it totally up to you. Miso soup is so wonderful and easy to make that I hope it’ll become a staple in your home just as it has become in mine. Wait! There’s more! Miso has great health benefits you should know about. According to Dr.Weil’s site: Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, and is full of antioxidants like vitamin E, as well as protective fatty acids. It's healthful and delicious, and the Japanese say that the linoleic acid in miso promotes soft skin. The soybeans miso is made from also contain isoflavones and other elements that provide protection against some forms of cancer. To preserve these properties, miso should not be boiled. Add it to a soup after it has been removed from direct heat. There you have it…a perfect meal in the perfect amount of time! And you don’t have to get jet lag to experience a taste of Asia!