Classic Miso Soup Recipe

To start cooking classic miso soup, soak kombu seaweed in cold water for about half an hour. Meanwhile, cut nori into small strips and tofu into cubes.

After this time, the kombu seaweed will swell and soften. It is not possible to substitute kombu seaweed with nori, which is used for sushi rolls... If you cannot find kombu, try making miso soup with fish, shrimp, mushroom, or vegetable broth, but it will no longer be a classic miso soup.

Bring the water together with the kombu to a boil and then remove from heat. Remove the seaweed, but do not throw it away if you plan to make secondary dashi broth.

Add bonito flakes - dried tuna shavings - to the hot kombu broth. Many people are familiar with it from sushi rolls, there are options where the rolls are rolled in this fish shavings or hot rolls are sprinkled with them. Let the broth steep for five minutes and strain. After straining, the bonito flakes are suitable for making secondary dashi broth.

Place a portion of miso paste in a soup bowl or dish. Pour a small amount of dashi broth, mix well, and pour the rest of the broth for one portion. Mix again.

Add nori and tofu to the portion. Optionally, sprinkle the miso soup with finely chopped green onions. Adjust the taste of miso with soy sauce if it's not salty enough. Serve the miso soup immediately. In Japan, miso soup is served at any time of the day: for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Secondary dashi broth appears lighter in color and less intense in flavor, but it is still suitable for making miso soup. To obtain secondary dashi, pour water over the used kombu seaweed and bonito flakes in the same or slightly less amount as for the first broth. Heat on medium heat for about 10 minutes and strain. If you're not planning to make miso soup in the near future, freeze the obtained broth for later use. There are many variations of miso soup with mushrooms, vegetables, and rice, but its foundation remains unchanged. And we have prepared miso soup according to the classic recipe.