Vegetarian Miso Soup

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which is mixed with softened miso paste. Usually, dashi broth and miso paste contains bonito, therefore fine salted soy bean paste with kelp or shiitake mushroom vegetarian dashi stocks can be used for making the vegetarian miso soup.

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 9-10 dried kelps in knot
° 2 thin slices ginger (optional)
° 750ml water
° 100g silken tofu, diced
° ¾ -1 tablespoon fine salted soy bean paste
° ½ tablespoon light soy sauce (optional)
° finely chopped spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Place the dried kelps, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in salted soy bean paste, light soy sauce and tofu.
2. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with spring onion or coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Dried kelps can be soaked, drained, cut into smaller pieces prior to be used in the soup, if desired. Or it can be discarded after simmering.
2. Soak ½ teaspoon of dried wakame seaweed in cold water for 5 minutes until rehydrated, drain well and added to soup, if desired.
3. Adding light soy sauce to substitute for fish sauce and to enhance the soup with some colour and taste.
4. Be careful not to boil the miso soup as this will diminish the flavour of the miso.