Miso Soup With Tofu And Wakame Recipes

Steps:

• For the dashi stock: Combine the cold water and kombu in a medium pot. Place the pot over medium heat; as the water comes to a simmer, you'll see tiny bubbles start to form on the bottom of the pot. Do not let the water come to a boil; it should remain at a low simmer. Remove the kombu.
• Once the water starts to simmer gently, sprinkle in the bonito flakes. Let the flakes steep without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into another medium pot. You should have about 4 cups of dashi stock.
• For the miso soup: To reconstitute the wakame seaweed, place 1 cup hot water in a medium bowl and sprinkle in the wakame; let it soak for about 2 minutes. Rinse the wakame under cold water, squeeze out the water with your hands and then chop the wakame.
• Heat the dashi stock over medium-low heat until just under a simmer. Add the wakame and allow to cook and intermingle for about 5 minutes.
• Submerge a small sieve into the saucepan until the rim is just above the stock. Add 1/4 cup of the miso to the sieve and use a wooden spoon to work the miso through the sieve into the soup; this will prevent lumps from forming. Stir well and taste the soup -- if it's not salty enough, add additional miso.
• Add the tofu and scallions and let them cook in the broth just until warmed through, about 1 minute.

Steps:

• Soak the wakame in 2 cups water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• To make the dashi, combine the kombu and filtered water in a medium saucepan and soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours and up to 10 hours. After soaking, heat the saucepan with the water and soaked kombu over low heat. Continue to heat until bubbles begin to form around the kombu, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the kombu before the water comes to a boil. Save the kombu for future use.
• Bring the soaking water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Add the bonito flakes. Let stand for 2 minutes without stirring to steep the bonito flakes. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer lined with a thin kitchen towel, two layers of cheesecloth or paper towels. Do not press the bonito flakes while straining as it will cloud the dashi. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 cups of dashi. Use the finished dashi immediately, or cool completely and refrigerate up to 1 week.
• Return the dashi to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the squash, adjust the heat to maintain a low simmer and continue cooking until the squash reaches the desired tenderness, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wakame. If the dashi evaporates below 3 cups (710 milliliters), replenish with filtered water or additional dashi to bring it back up to 3 1/2 cups (840 milliliters). Carefully add the tofu and continue simmering just until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, place the miso in a small bowl. Ladle in about 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of the hot dashi and stir until a loose paste is formed. Turn the heat off under the saucepan, add the miso mixture to the soup and mix well. Taste the soup and make adjustments as needed with additional miso or dashi. Divide the soup among bowls, making sure the ingredients are distributed evenly and attractively. Add a dash of shichimi togarashi for heat and garnish with the chives if desired and serve.