Miso soup

Miso is a fermented soybean paste, and fermented soy foods like it have been part of traditional Japanese meals for centuries. This simple soup takes about 10 minutes and makes a soothing start to any meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (shiitake are lovely)
• 4 ounces firm or silken tofu, cubed
• 1 cup baby spinach or chopped bok choy
• 3 tablespoons white or yellow miso
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

• Soak the wakame in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain.
• Bring the water or broth to a simmer, add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes. Add the tofu, wakame and greens and heat 2 minutes more.
• Turn off the heat. Whisk the miso with a ladle of hot broth until smooth, then stir it into the pot. Adding it off the heat protects the live cultures in unpasteurized miso.
• Miso is salty, so taste before adding more. Top with green onions and serve right away.