drizzleanddip

I’m not sure if its the bikram yoga I have started practicing or that last year was a year of complete and utter over indulgence for me, but lately I am wanting lighter, fresh food that gives me nourishment and feels like its cleaning me on the inside.

I will often order miso soup when eating in Japanese style restaurants and I love the clarity and simplicity of the flavour. For this soup I wanted to add protein but not meat, and wanted vegetables to give it substance.

I needed a few unusual ingredients to make the Dashi broth and luckily the new Asian supermarket that has opened down the road from where I live had everything I needed.  They are a small shop but always seem to have my requirements including a nice range of fresh greens, sprouts and tofu.

Dashi is a Japanese sea stock and the most common version of it is made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes or dried, fermented and smoked skipjack tuna) and it forms the basis for miso soup.

It really is so very easy to make and since I am unaware of any ready made substitute in South Africa, it is the only option to do it yourself.

This is what it looks like in case you don’t already know.

The other key ingredient to thesoup is the miso (obviously)

‘Miso as you probably know already, is a naturally fermented paste made by combining cooked soy beans, salt, and often some other ingredient such as white or brown rice, barley, and so on. The texture can range from smooth to chunky, and the color from a light yellow-brown to reddish brown to dark chocolate brown, and the flavor ranges from mildly salty and sweet to strong and very salty. It is packed with umami and protein, not to mention all sorts of nutrients’.

So gather all your ingredients and make this soup in minutes.

To make Dashi you will need:  recipe on Drizzle and Dip