“I think I’m turning Japanese…”
Surely everyone remembers that terrible ‘top-10 hit’ from 1980s by a never-to-be-heard-from-again new-wave band the Vapors?
The music was pretty humdrum, but it was significant in that it heralded in the opening up of Japanese culture, especially culinary, in the West. Sushi bars and Asian ingredients and utensils, especially Japanese, began appearing first in specialty Asian shops and then supermarkets throughout our towns.
While the terminology, tastes and textures were at first difficult to get our tongues around, Japanese cuisine is unquestionably today as American as French fries.
Studious Japanese chefs train for 10 years before being unleashed on their first California role, while throughout most of the Western world young adults are mucking it up with a sushi kit bought at their local Asian store or supermarket.
Miso soup can be a dishwater-like starter to a business lunch at an Asian style eatery, or a real tasty and filling option for a very healthy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
- Miso paste (shiro miso)
- Potato (size depending on the number of diners)
- Kohlrabi (optional)
- Small forest mushrooms
- Soft tofu
- Wakame seaweed
- Small onion
- Spring onion
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce
- Water (depending on number of servings you want to make)
Method:
Cut onion, peel and dice potato and kohlrabi and boil for 10 minutes. Add miso paste, starting with a tablespoon-full and adding according to taste.
Once the potato is ready, add in mushrooms and wakame seaweed. Lastly, add a small amount of sesame oil (optional) and diced spring onion when serving.
There you go: an easy 10-minute exotic, tasty and satisfying Japanese Miso soup, Jerusalem-style.
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