Miso soup, I feel your loving... If you're confused, check this out. But I really do love miso soup, although I don't love paying the crazy prices they charge for it at Japanese restaurants. Once you start making it at home, you realize how cheap and easy it is to make - and there are endless variations on it.
Miso Soup:
1 cup dashi stock
wakame seaweed
soft tofu
1-2 tsp miso to taste
I normally draw the line at making my own stock, simply because I don't have the space to store it and there is only so much you can do from scratch. Since I have no problems with a little msg, dashi granules are fine with me. Also, bonito flakes are super expensive, so making dashi stock can be a little cost-prohibitive in Edmonton. For one cup of water, use 1/2 tsp dashi granules. Heat the stock to boiling over medium heat, and while this is heating toss in the wakame. Once it has come to the boil, remove from the heat and in a large spoon mix the miso with some of the hot stock to thin out the paste, then mix everything together. Add the tofu then return the pan to the heat until it is nearly boiling. Remove & serve immediately.
Alternately, instead of using dashi stock some miso has dashi already mixed in with it. If you check the ingredients on the back, it should say bonito or かつお.
Hi, I am also from Edmonton, and I am deeply in love with Japanese food. However, I found it hard to get dashi granules in here, could you tell me where can you get that in Edmonton? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Priscilla! I get mine at T&T, in the same aisle with the seaweed and furikake. It comes in a little 65g bottle with a red lid; the brand is Ajinomoto and it says ほんだし in blue and off to the side says 'hon-dashi bonito fish soup stock'. The jar also gives instructions in English, which is helpful.
ReplyDeleteI normally get refills by buying the box they sell by the same brand which has three envelopes full, so you're not paying for the jar. The box, however, has no English writing on it.
Thanks so much!!! I will go look for it in T&T! :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, this is an awesome webpage! ;)
ReplyDeleteHi. I went to T&T to get the Dashi you mention. However, the first two items in the list of ingredients on the packet were: salt and MSG. Yech! Does anybody know where to get Dash in Edmonton without MSG?!
ReplyDeleteThanks
All packaged dashi granules have MSG, as far as I know. I am fine with it, but if you're not the best thing to do is make your own dashi from scratch. It really isn't very difficult and all the ingredients - konbu seaweed & bonito flakes - are found in the same aisle at T&T. Check out the link to Just Hungry under Our Faves; she has excellent instructions there on how to make it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brooke. I was visiting south of the border, and picked up a packet of 'Bonito Dashi Bag', made in Japan by Maruhachi Muramatsu, Inc. It contains 5 teabag-style pouches that can be used. Very clearly on the front it says, 'No MSG added'. I just made Miso soup using it, and it tasted great! Wonder if I could get it here in Edm?
ReplyDeleteYou can buy it on amazon.com
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Maruhachi-Dashi-1-75-Ounce-Units-Pack/dp/B001AY0992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1262817216&sr=8-1
I just picked up a package of the Bonito Dashi Bag that has the 5 teabag-style pouches in the box with no MSG. I purchased it at a new store just opened called Osaka Supermarket here in West Vancouver BC. The store is owned by T & T. Cost just over 5.00 for the package of 5.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to trying it out.