miso soup

Another simple soup recipe for you to enjoy with the added benefits of keeping the gut microbiome happy and healthy. A must for optimal health. Miso soup is made with fermented soybeans and grains and contains lots of beneficial bacteria. Miso ranges from sweet and mild to salty and rich.

There are a number of different type of miso. White miso is typically made with fermented soybeans and rice and is fermented for 2 months. It is light in color and is sweet to mildly salty. Yellow miso is fermented for slightly longer than white miso. Red miso has a higher proportion of soybeans and is fermented for up to three years. It has a strong flavor and is best used in hearty dishes. Miso is protein-rich and adds the fifth taste (sweet, sour, salt and bitter are the other tastes) of ‘umami’ to dishes. Umami is typically definied as ‘savory’ but is sometimes referred to as ‘meaty’ or ‘complex’. Other umami-rich foods are mushrooms, seaweed, fish sauce, soy sauce, and kimchi.

Due to the fermentation process, miso is a source of probiotics. Probiotics help promote levels of good bacteria which in turn helps to improve the balance of the gut microbiome. Hence keeping the microbiome happy and healthy. Optimal health is associated with a healthy gut microbiome. When buying miso, be sure to buy the unpasteurized, live-enzyme-rich miso that needs to be stored in the fridge.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons miso paste, such as shiro miso (white), miso (aka red miso), or shinshu miso (yellow)

1 ½ tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1 large garlic clove, peeled

1 ½-inch fresh ginger piece, peeled

½ pound firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms stemmed and the caps thinly sliced

2 cups pea shoots (about 3 ounces), roughly chopped (or substitute spinach, finely chopped)

6 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly chopped

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Other options to add in: bok choy, tofu, seaweed

Creating the Magic!

Put the miso, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and 1 cup water in a food processor or a large blender. Cover and process or blend until smooth, scraping down the inside of the canister at least once.

Stir the miso mixture into 4 additional cups water in a medium saucepan. Add the tofu, mushrooms, pea shoots, and scallions; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil and soy sauce before serving.

Tip: If you like more texture, finely mince the garlic and ginger but don’t put them in the food processor or blender. Instead, add them with the tofu in step 2.

Tip: If fresh shiitake mushrooms are not available, soak 4 large dried shiitakes with warm tap water in a small bowl for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth to remove grit. Use this soaking liquid, reducing the amount of water in the saucepan by an equivalent amount. Or substitute white or bella mushrooms.