— Sylvia Edwards

Okay. Uh, wow. Funny you should ask that. Uh, we just had this conversation moments ago. This is, uh, the first day of school, uh, for our, our son, uh, just starting his, uh, uh, senior year in high school, 12th grade, uh, if that, uh, makes sense for you. And, um, it's during the school year, um, that, uh, um, I, I task myself, I guess, with making breakfast each day. And, um, uh, miso soup, is it? And we will always have, uh, some, uh, aka miso and some shiro miso. It's a red miso and some white miso. There are other varieties too. Okay? Um, so don't restrict yourself to the red and white varieties, but, um, uh, you can, uh, use any type of miso paste that you like. Understand, uh, I, I recommend, uh, testing some, comparing them, because their sweetness level varies. Their saltiness varies, um, aside from just the color or the name. Alright? Um, so, uh, recipes, um, I'm gonna provide a framework, okay? In, in the Rouxbe Spirit, right? Uh, we, we try to emphasize recipes, uh, but rather the framework or the structure or the cooking method, uh, that is at the core of what we're making here. And this is just my way of saying that I don't have a recipe. Uh, it probably varies a little bit each day, okay? Um, but it, it's very, very simple. Um, start off with water. And, uh, you know, typically, uh, we wanna flavor that water, okay? By making a, a, a Ja, in this case, it's a Japanese version of stock, which we call dashi. And there there are many different types of dashi. Um, uh, uh, the, the typical type of dashi, sometimes called ichiban dashi, uh, that we see in cookbooks. And, uh, online, uh, we'll call for kelp, uh, or bu in Japanese. Uh, and then also, um, uh, uh, dried, uh, bonito flakes or kasu busi. And, uh, these are sied, uh, in the water, uh, to provide to, to create dashi. It's, it's stock, it's a flavored liquid that acts as the base, uh, to the soup. Um, some miso paste, uh, actually more and more miso pastes, uh, at the store already have dashi in them. And so you could buy those as a shortcut product. You know, I, uh, I'll leave that up to you. I don't use those products just because I, uh, like to have the control, um, of adding flavoring, how I please. Okay? Um, if you prefer a, an all plant-based version, then omit the ka, okay? The, um, shaved bonito, uh, and just use, uh, the kelp or the kbu. Uh, you can also use shi ta on their own or in combination, you know, with the kbu, if you wish, um, you know, either dry or fresh, we'll impart some flavor, that's fine. Um, and, uh, if it's gonna be the dried product, uh, you can, you know, consider soaking it overnight to, to, uh, to soften it up, and then further cook that, uh, in the soup. You can slice it up, add it back in, just eat the whole thing, okay? And then add other ingredients that you want. Um, very often we'll add diced tohu, uh, not always, um, but, but I do like that it's what I grew up with. And then any other bre, uh, any other vegetables. And, uh, they could be, uh, root vegetables, um, onions go well, um, greens, you know, cut into, um, it could be a, just, just cut into a square or a chiffonade just chopped in some way, uh, makes a nice addition as well. Um, and really anything. And, uh, this is where, you know, I don't have a recipe and I, uh, encourage everyone to, uh, not be bound by recipes, but rather just experiment. Um, you know, add things that you enjoy. Uh, and then you're gonna add the miso paste to taste. Uh, there is certainly a ratio of, of water to, to paste, or at least some approximation. And it's, it's, uh, it is probably something like, uh, a, a teaspoon, a paste to one cup of, of liquid, something like that, um, as a starting point. But, but do it to taste. Um, keep in mind that generally speaking, the miso paste does have quite a bit of salt. Um, and so if, uh, the sodium intake is a concern from you, then cut back on the miso paste and, um, um, build up the flavor in the dashi, um, simmer the, uh, the kelp a little bit longer to draw out more flavor. Uh, and, uh, then you can, you know, easily cut back on the miso paste, uh, without feeling, um, uh, like you're lacking flavor interest. Okay? And so anyway, um, you know, that's the, that's the, the method to the madness, uh, nutritionally, um, you know, um, you got all the fiber from all those different vegetables in there. Uh, you know, miso provides a protein, it's a fermented food, so whatever fermented foods do for you as it's, you know, good for your, uh, gut microbiome and, and so on and so forth. And, um, yeah, it's a great way to utilize any little leftover bits of, uh, vegetables as well. Uh, so enjoy that process.