Miso Soup with Nameko Mushrooms
Nameko mushrooms have been growing in the hardwood forests of oak and beech in Asia for centuries. Also known as Forest Namekos for their flavor and growing environment, they are sometimes referred to as ‘butterscotch mushrooms’ in the US. The mushroom is cultivated in Southern California and can be found organically grown.
Dashi is a broth made from the sea vegetable kombu, collected from the icy coastal waters of the islands of Japan. It may be purchased in Asian or natural foods stores as a dehydrated powdered broth. Traditionally, miso is made from fermented soybeans with combinations of grains. Red miso is usually made with rice. Mixed with nameko mushrooms, this soup is delicious.
Photo by 鵂鶹永滄 via iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat the water in a large saucepan and add 1 tablespoon dashi powder, or the amount required to make 4 cups of dashi (see the instructions on the dashi powder container).
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In a small bowl, liquefy the miso with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the dashi water.
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Mix with the remainder of the dashi water in the saucepan.
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Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately add the tofu and the nameko mushrooms with their liquid.
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After a half minute or so, when the broth is heated almost to the boiling point, the soup is ready to be served.
Note
Do not overcook.