Homemade Dashi

• ⅓ oz dried kelp (kombu)
• 4 ¼ cups cold water
• 100 ml cold water to lower temp before adding bonito
• ½ oz bonito flakes (katsuobushi) approx 1 cup per handful

Miso Soup

• 5 2/7 oz tofu silken = creamy, firm = holds shape,
• 1 oz fried tofu pouch (aburaage)
• 1 oz Japanese leek (naganegi)
• 30 g fresh shiitake mushrooms cremini ok in pinch
• 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
• ¼ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) or tamari for GF
• 4 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) or mix 50/50 white and red miso
• finely chopped green onions optional garnish

Dashi

1. Add ⅓ oz dried kelp (kombu) and 4 ¼ cups cold water to a large pot and soak for at least 30 minutes (up to 24hrs covered in the fridge).
2. Once rehydrated, place the pot on the stove and bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat. Be careful not to let it boil. When small bubbles start to appear (90-95℃ (194-203°F)), remove the kombu. Discard it or save it for another recipe.
3. Continue to heat until boiling, then turn off the burner and add 100 ml cold water. Drop ½ oz bonito flakes (katsuobushi) into the pot and steep for 3-5 minutes without stirring. Line a sieve with kitchen paper and place it over a large heatproof bowl.
4. Pour the dashi through the sieve, the kitchen paper will catch the small pieces of katsuobushi, leaving you with a clear broth.

Soup

1. Thinly slice 1 oz fried tofu pouch (aburaage), 1 oz Japanese leek (naganegi) and 30 g fresh shiitake mushrooms. Cut 5 2/7 oz tofu into cubes.
2. Pour the dashi into a pot and heat on medium. Once it's almost boiling, add the ingredients that take longer to cook (aburaage, leek, shiitake) and simmer for a few minutes until cooked to your liking.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in ¼ tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu).
4. Scoop 4 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase) onto a mesh spoon or ladle. Dip the miso paste into the dashi and whisk it in the spoon to loosen it up. Keep whisking, gradually allowing more dashi to seep into the mesh spoon/ladle each time until the miso paste has dissolved into the mixture.
5. Add 5 2/7 oz tofu (cubed) to the hot miso soup and stir gently. Allow to warm on residual heat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Divide the miso soup into bowls and garnish with finely finely chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy!