http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/dashi.html
Soup is one of the vital components of a Japanese meal, and with a little practice, you’ll be able to whip up delicious soups in minutes without recipes.
In Japan, soup is usually served after the main courses, along with rice and pickles.
When serving kamameshi or zosui, (which are essentially rice cooked in soup), soup is usually not served.
Dashi
This all important soup stock forms the base for almost all of Japanese cooking, and imparts umami (the fifth taste, meaning "savory" or "meaty") to anything it graces.
Luckily, it is very easy to make and fills the house with a wonderful aroma.
There are two kinds: The Basic Dashi RECIPE is the most versatile, and includes a vegetarian version.
You can use the Niboshi Dashi RECIPE for heavily flavored miso soups.
Making dashi., Japanese kombu kelp soup stock.
Miso soup
Miso soup is so easy that it is virtually impossible to mess up.
It is also wonderfully versatile, and can be made with whatever seasonal vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, meat or seafood is at hand.
Miso soup can be as light, (with just a few blocks of tofu and some chopped mitsuba) or heavy (as in kenchinjiru, which is almost like a stew) as you are in the mood for.
Children love its salty and rich flavor, and when tofu and rice* are added, makes a healthy and easily digestible meal for toddlers.
Miso soup is made of dashi and white miso, red miso, or a combination of the two, which is known as awase miso.
Another favorite of mine is inaka (country style) miso, which is chunky and goes well with earthy ingredients.
The recipes below come from my experience and preference.
You might try following them once, and then start experimenting to see what flavors you like.
Additionally, you can use regular dashi for delicate soup and niboshi (sardine) dashi for more strongly flavored soups.
I usually use regular dashi, but again, it’s a matter of preference, as there are no hard and fast rules in making miso soup.
RECIPE
Variations include: Tofu & Wakame, Carrots & Daikon, Potatoes & Onion, Nasu, Okra, Shimeji Mushroom, Enoki Mushroom and Asari Clam
Basic Miso soup with potatoes and leeks
Ton-jiru (miso soup with pork and green onions)
Ton-jiru is a rich and hearty pork miso soup that is usually served with tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets).
It's a hearty and flavorful soup that is a favorite of meat-lovers.
For this type of soup, dashi is not used.
RECIPE
Kenchinjiru
This is based on a Buddhist vegetarian recipe and can either be made with miso, or with soy sauce and salt.
My mother always made a version with pork and miso, but recently I've taken to this vegan version because you can really taste all the wonderful vegetables.
Richness comes from the intense flavors of the gobo (burdock) and shiitake mushrooms and the creamy sato-imo.
This hearty soup is more like a stew, and can be considered a meal unto itself when served with rice and pickles.
RECIPE
kenchinjiru
Suimono
Suimono means “things to sip”, and refers to clear soup.
This is sometimes served at the end of a meal, or in elegant kaiseki meals, after the appetizer or sashimi course and before the entrée.
The basic suimono recipe is exceedingly simple, but because of its very simplicity, it is hard to master.
The flavors are so delicate and subtle that it is easy to go overboard with flavoring.
When in doubt, start with the amount listed below and add from there in small quantities if you find it lacking in taste.
Making good suimono also depends on the availability of fragrant herbs such as mitsuba and the rind of citrus such as yuzu.
These are hard to find in the West, and unfortunately, there are no suitable substitutes.
If you can’t find them fresh, use these freeze dried, or in the case of yuzu, bottled.
If you are not able to find bottled yuzu, use thin strips of lemon rind.
Lastly, presentation is also important for suimono.
The ingredients are few and should be cut into beautiful shapes, and ideally, served in covered lacquer bowls.
One of the pleasures of enjoying suimono is the fragrance that is released when one lifts the lid from the bowl.
RECIPE
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/soup.html
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I N G R E D I E N T S
4 cups water
5” x 5” piece of kombu
½ cup katsuobushi
Dashi
This all important soup stock forms the base for almost all of Japanese cooking, and imparts umami to anything it graces.
Luckily, it is very easy to make and fills the house with a wonderful aroma.
Place the kombu in the water, and place on a burner set to medium.
The longer the water takes to get to hot, the better.
Watch the pot carefully, as the kombu should be taken out when it floats to the surface and before the water boils.
You'll notice little bubbles forming at the rim of the pot.
After removing the kombu and just as the dashi starts boiling, take the pot off the heat and add the katsuobushi.
Let the katsuobushi soak until it sinks to the bottom.
Strain through a fine sieve, or do it the old-fashioned way, through a square of sarashi (cotton).
That’s it!
For vegetarian dashi, follow the instructions without the katsuobushi.
Note: The Kyoto method of making dashi involves soaking the kombu in a jar for at least eight hours, and preferably overnight, beforehand.
This is done at room temperature during the cold season, and in the fridge when it’s hot.
The resulting water becomes noticeably viscous.
This method brings another level of richness and complexity to the dashi, which is especially important for Kyoto style seasoning, which is very light on salt.
Tip: As an alternative, you can also use powdered dashi as a shortcut.
Many of Japan’s modern home cooks do! Powdered dashi comes in little foil packages, and has quite a strong flavor.
Simply add the powder to anything you are cooking.
I use this when I’m pressed for time, or just need a small amount of dashi.
However, it is not recommended for subtly flavored dishes such as suimono (clear soup), dipping sauces, or for simmering vegetables.
What to do with leftover dashi?
Although it loses its flavor, dashi can be kept in a jar in the fridge for a few days.
However, it’s best to make the appropriate amount for the recipe you are making.
Just scale it down in size; use a smaller piece of kombu and less katsuobushi.
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I N G R E D I E N T S
4 cups water
2 ounces niboshi (dried sardines)
Niboshi Dashi
While dashi made from kombu and katsuobushi is far more common, niboshi (dried sardine) dashi is used for heavily flavored items such as some types of miso soup, such as those that use dark miso.
Place the niboshi in the water, and place on a burner set to high.
Bring to a boil, skimming any foam from the surface.
Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Strain through a fine sieve.
That’s it!
Tip: As an alternative, you can also use powdered dashi instead of niboshi dashi.
Many of Japan’s modern home cooks do! Powdered dashi comes in little foil packages, and has quite a strong flavor.
Simply add the powder to anything you are cooking.
I use this when I’m pressed for time, or just need a small amount of dashi.
What to do with leftover dashi?
Although it loses its flavor, dashi can be kept in a jar in the fridge for a few days.
However, it’s best to make the appropriate amount for the recipe you are making.
Just scale it down in size; use a smaller piece of kombu and less katsuobushi.
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/niboshi.dashi.html
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I N G R E D I E N T S
4 cups dashi
3 tbsp miso paste
Basic Miso
Heat 4 cups of dashi in a pot.
Add whatever ingredients you want, and then add the miso at the end, just before serving.
Since the miso paste is refrigerated and quite thick, it takes a while to dissolve in the dashi.
Therefore, you must thin the miso in a large soup ladle full of dashi (while it is still partially immersed in the pot), whisking with chopsticks to a smooth consistency first.
If you don’t follow this step, it is likely that clumps of miso will remain undissolved when serving.
A really handy item is a miso koji; a small sieve with a wooden pestle that is made just for this purpose.
It works wonderfully and makes quick work of this task, and is a great time saver if you serve miso soup regularly.
Miso should not be boiled, because it is said it loses its flavor.
Tofu and Wakame
Cut ½ block of tofu, either kinu-goshi (soft) or momen-goshi (firm), depending on your preference, into cubes the size of dice.
Soak ½ cup wakame in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
Rinse the reconstituted wakame, roughly chop it and add it, along with the tofu, to 4 cups of hot dashi.
Add 3 tablespoons of white, red, or a combination of the two.
Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped mitsuba.
Serves 4.
Carrots and Daikon
Cut 1 carrot and a 3 inch piece of daikon into 2 inch long matchsticks.
Add to 4 cups of dashi and simmer for 3 minutes, or until tender but not soft.
Add 3 tablespoons of white miso.
Serves 4
Potatoes and Onion
Peel and cut 1 potato into half round slices ½ thick.
Cut 1 small onion in half, then slice lengthwise into slivers ¼ thick.
Add to dashi and simmer for 5 minutes, or until tender.
Add 3 tablespoons of white miso.
Serves 4
Nasu (eggplant)
If using a western eggplant, either a half or quarter of an eggplant will be plenty.
Peel the skin and cut into quarters, and then into ¼ slices.
If using Japanese eggplant, cut one large or 2 small into diagonal slices ¼ thick.
Add to dash and simmer for 5 minutes, or until tender.
Add 2 tablespoons of red miso and 1 tablespoon of white miso.
Serves 4
Okra
If you like gumbo, you’ll like this.
The slimy texture of cooked okra makes an interesting (if slightly unorthodox) miso soup.
Chop ½ lb of fresh okra into ½ inch slices, or use one cup of frozen okra.
Boil for 4 minutes, or until tender.
Add 3 tablespoons white or country miso and half a block of cubed kinugoshi (soft) tofu (optional).
Garnish with chopped green onion.
Serves 4
Shimeji
Shimeji mushrooms usually come attached to a round and dense “root” base that is pithy, and should be cut and discarded.
The mushrooms then separate easily by hand.
Saute in 1 tablespoon of butter (my unique twist) and a touch of salt and pepper.
Add 4 cups of chicken stock, water or dashi (depending on your preference) and 2 tablespoons of red miso and one tablespoon of white miso.
This is an intensely flavored soup and the butter adds a nice touch.
Serves 4
Enoki
Remove the base of the enoki mushrooms and chop into 2 inch lengths.
Add to 4 cups of hot dashi.
The mushrooms do not need to be simmered, so immediately add 3 tablespoons white miso.
Garnish with chopped mitsuba, or if using green onion, add just a few slivers so as not to overwhelm the delicate flavor of the enoki mushrooms.
Serves 4
Asari
Add 1 cup of asari clams (shells and all) to 4 cups of water.
Boil for 2 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoon red and 1 tablespoon white miso.
This does not need garnish.
The clams make their own stock.
This takes a little effort to eat, as the tiny clam meat is eaten while holding the tiny shells with chopsticks.
Serves 4
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/miso.soup.html
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I N G R E D I E N T S
6 cups water
1/3 lb pork shoulder
6 green onions
Ton-jiru (miso soup with pork and green onions)
This rich and hearty pork miso soup is usually served with tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets).
Make stock by slowly simmering pork bones (I use the bones from pork chops that are left after making tonkatsu) in 6 cups of water.
Add 1/3 lb of boneless pork shoulder or loin, cut into strips.
These fatty and less expensive cuts make better stock and turn soft, instead of hard, with ample cooking time.
Skim the fat and foam off the top while the stock is simmering, for 20 minutes, or until the pork is meltingly tender.
Remove the bones, returning any meat clinging to the bones pork to the stock.
Add 3 tablespoons of country miso.
Cut 6 green onions into thin slivers (diagonally) and add to the soup.
Stir until the onions are just wilted, and serve.
I know this seems like a lot of onions, but they go really well with the pork.
Serves 4
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/tonjiru.html
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I N G R E D I E N T S
6 cups vegetarian dashi
1/4 daikon, cut into cubes
1 carrot, cut into rangiri
3 shiitake mushrooms, soaked
1/2 gobo, peeled and sliced
4 satoimo, peeled
Soy sauce, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Kenchinjiru, Buddhist vegetarian soup
Kenchin-jiru
This is based on a Buddhist vegetarian recipe and can either be made with miso, or with soy sauce and salt.
My mother always made a version with pork and miso, but recently I've taken to this vegan version because you can really taste all the wonderful vegetables.
Richness comes from the intense flavors of the gobo (burdock) and shiitake mushrooms and the creamy sato-imo.
This hearty soup is more like a stew, and can be considered a meal unto itself when served with rice and pickles.
Cut vegetables into a variety of pleasing shapes, as noted to the left.
Soak the gobo in cold water to prevent discoloration and to remove bitterness.
Simmer the gobo and daikon in 6 cups of dashi for 15 minutes.
Add the remainder of the ingredients and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until tender.
Season with soy sauce and sea salt to taste, or add four tablespoons of country miso.
Serves 4 as a main course, or 6 as a soup
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/kenchinjiru.html
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I N G R E D I E N T S
1 shrimp, peeled and parboiled, or one bite sized piece of fish
2 strands of somen
1 piece of decorative fu
1 inch piece of yuba
¼ fresh shiitake mushroom, a few enoki mushrooms, or a few thin slices of matsutake mushrooms (if you are lucky enough to find them)
1 decoratively cut piece of carrot
1 snow pea, cut diagonally in half
A few pieces of wakame
Fragrant items:
1 few strands of yuzu rind
1 kinome sprig
1 mistuba leaf
Suimono
First, prepare the ingredients for the suimono.
These can vary according to what is in season and what is available.
You can use a combination of 3 or 4 of the ingredients listed to the left.
Try to combine a nice selection of colors and shapes, and a balance of heavy and light items, but always include one fragrant item.
For instance, you might choose shrimp, snow pea and yuzu, or bamboo shoot, wakame and kinome (classic spring dish).
The portions are for each serving.
The dry ingredients should be cooked or reconstituted, and parboil the fresh ingredients until just tender; if using snow peas, just until they turn bright green.
It is a good idea to do this ahead of time and assemble the ingredients in the bowls before ladling the soup at serving time.
Soup
Bring 4 cups of dashi to a very low simmer.
If you have different grades of kombu, use the best variety available, as it really makes a difference.
Add 1.5 tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon mirin.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sparingly.
The flavor should be refreshing and subtle, and the soup should be served piping hot.
Ladle into the bowls and garnish with one of the fragrant items.
Serves 4
http://www.savoryjapan.com/recipes/soup/suimono
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