Miso Recipe

Prepare dashi

Pour 4 cups water into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon dashi granules until fully dissolved. If using prepared dashi stock instead of granules, warm 4 cups of that stock to a simmer.

Soften miso

Place the 3 tablespoons white miso paste and 1 teaspoon red miso (if using) into a small bowl. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot dashi into the bowl and whisk or stir until the miso is completely dissolved and smooth. This prevents clumping and preserves miso's delicate flavor.

Combine miso and stock

Reduce the heat under the saucepan to low (do not boil). Pour the dissolved miso back into the pot while gently stirring. Keep the soup at a very low simmer or warm — do not allow it to reach a boil, which can dull the miso's flavor and kill beneficial enzymes.

Prepare tofu and wakame

While the dashi heats, cut about 200 g soft tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and rehydrate 2 teaspoons dried wakame in cold water for 5 minutes; drain and gently squeeze excess water from the wakame.

Cook mushrooms (if using)

If using shiitake mushrooms, add the thinly sliced mushrooms to the hot (but not boiling) soup and simmer on low for 2–3 minutes until tender. This step infuses the broth with mushroom umami.

Add tofu and wakame

Gently add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the pot and warm for 1–2 minutes on low heat until heated through. Avoid stirring vigorously to keep tofu from breaking apart.

Season and finish

Stir in 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to round out the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning: add an extra 1/2 teaspoon miso dissolved in a bit of warm dashi if you prefer a saltier, richer soup.

Ladle the soup into four small appetizer bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with about 1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions, a pinch of toasted sesame seeds, and a light dusting of shichimi togarashi or crushed red pepper to taste. Serve immediately while warm.