Miso Soup

A disheveled miso soup, because I’m a messy cook.

    Ever notice how food bloggers have lengthy, sometimes unrelated, backstories to their recipes? Do you ever just scroll, for what feels like eons, just to get to the recipe at the bottom of the article? 

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    It was a dark and stormy night, many years ago. Or was it dark and windy? Let’s just say, it was some time at night at some point in my life, when I found myself hanging out at my friend's apartment. A few friends and I had gathered there to catch up. Our third year of college was just around the corner. A warm summer breeze oscillated in and out of the house, carrying our conversations with it. From the window facing the garden, shadows of tall, ripe bean stalks danced back and forth, hinting at the arrival of harvesting season. The kitchen was dimly lit. An old wooden table, placed in the center of the kitchen, was surrounded by hungry and energetic souls. From my spot at the table, I could see steam rising from the pot of miso soup on the stove. It was over a hearty soup that we shared stories, ranging from campus happenings and the impending start of school to our summer vacations. 

    Speaking of vacations; over Thanksgiving break one year, I went to India for a wedding, and ended up reconnecting with family members, traveling to local stores, and eating lots of food. Not once, over the course of ten days, did I go to the bathroom. I ate anything and everything under the sun that might activate my digestive system, including tons of spicy hajmola pills; which, would later come to haunt me, in a painful experience best left unsaid...until the following implicit-ridden sentences. Perhaps it was the change in pressure, or the right time as felt by destiny and fate, that on the flight back home, my fickle digestive system kicked into full gear. It was what I would describe as a long, exhausting experience like running a marathon--only, this marathon involved stopping midway, and picking up again after reaching home. I have since made chia seed water a regular part of my diet; it is fantastic and I recommend it to all. 

    Chia seeds are versatile. While they're great for hydration, chia seeds also function as a great substitute for eggs when it comes to baking. I’ve found this to work really well in lots of recipes including banana bread and cake. Recently, I was out of eggs when I decided to make a carrot and apple cake from scratch. I ended up using chia seed gel as the binding agent. To make the gel, I soaked 2 tablespoons of chia seeds in 6 tablespoons of water. To speed up the process, I vigorously stirred the bowl, and voila! After baking and cooling the cake, I spread on some freshly made cream cheese frosting. Yum! Ultimately, the cake was delicious, perhaps a bit chewier than a traditional sponge cake, but wonderful all the same. That said, if there's one thing that this cake doesn't taste like, it's miso soup.

    But here's a recipe for miso soup that will taste like miso soup. I like to make this soup from time to time when it's cold outside, and I want to feel warm inside. The original recipe has its roots from an online website that I've long forgotten, and has elements of spontaneity from my friend. Over the years, she’s made cooking look so effortless and yet, taste delicious. She has showed me that recipes don’t always have to be followed to a ‘T’ and what a blessing that discovery has been. 

    I recommend using white miso paste. While a premade broth has a similar flavor, having the paste at hand will allow you to control the strength of the miso flavor; generally, the flavor of the soup tastes fresher this way.   

    The steps are simple,

1. Choose 3-4 veggies and sauté them to your liking on medium heat with an inch of ginger, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and 2-3 green chilies. I usually add veggies in order of what cooks the slowest, and usually use about half or less of the veggies if I’m working with 3+ veggies. For example, I’ll start with sweet potatoes and carrots. After about 6-7 minutes, I’ll add the bell peppers, onions, corn and/or green beans.** I usually stop sautéing when the sweet potatoes are brown (for that caramelized flavor!) and when the other veggies have cooked through.
2. Add miso paste, water, salt and pepper as needed. Bring to a boil. I’ll usually do about 2 tbs of miso paste to 2-3 cups of water.  
3. Add shredded seaweed, and serve shortly after. 
4. My newest step #4 is to crack an egg(s) into the soup pot once it's off the stove. Cover the pot and leave it alone for 6-7 minutes for soft eggs with creamy yolks. The eggs compliment the soup so well and are very filling.

Give it a try, best of luck, and until next time

**Garlic and ginger are a must for this recipe. However, when it comes to adding veggies, it’s really an, “add whatever you’ve got” situation. Here’s a list of veggies to add to the pot including: Corn, zucchini, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, bell pepper, and green beans. The more colorful your soup, the better!