Miso Soup with Enoki Mushrooms and Ground Sesame

Method16 steps · about 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose the packet-stock route using 2 cups water and 1 dashi packet (or its equivalent amount of powder), OR use 2 cups prepared awase or vegan dashi instead of both. This recipe uses the packet route in the photos.

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Gather all the ingredients.

   
3. 3

   Step 3: For the packet route, add 2 cups water and 1 dashi packet to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. If using prepared dashi instead, simply heat that stock and skip the packet simmering in step 4.

   Uses 2 cups water ONLY for packet stock · 1 dashi packet ONLY for packet stock · 2 cups prepared dashi ONLY for the shortcut

   
4. 4

   Step 4: For the packet route, reduce the heat to medium-low once boiling and simmer, uncovered, for 2–3 minutes. Lift and shake the sachet to release flavor, then discard it. Powder has no sachet to remove. Transfer the prepared stock to a measuring cup; the packet route yields a little less than 2 cups after simmering. Set the empty saucepan aside for the soup.

   Packet route: simmer dashi 2–3 minutes · 3 minUses prepared stock from the selected route

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Cut 1 Tokyo negi (long green onion) to separate the white and green parts. Thinly slice the white part diagonally. Thinly slice the green part on the diagonal and set aside.

   Uses 1 Tokyo negi (Japanese long green onion), or green onions if unavailable

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Cut off and discard the root end of the 50 g enoki mushrooms, then cut the mushrooms in half crosswise.

   Uses 50 g enoki mushrooms (about ¼ source package)

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Peel the ginger (½ tsp), then grate it (I use a ceramic grater). Measure ½ tsp ginger (grated, with juice).

   Uses ½ tsp ginger (grated, with juice; from a 1-inch, 2.5 cm knob)

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Add 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to a mortar and pestle. Grind roughly, leaving some seeds unground for texture.

   Uses 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Heat the saucepan over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil. Then, add the sliced white part of the Tokyo negi.

   Uses ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil · sliced white negi parts

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the grated ginger.

    Uses white negi sautéing in sesame oil · grated ginger

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Sauté for 1 minute. Next, add the enoki.

    Uses negi and ginger sauté · trimmed, cut enoki

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Sauté for 1 minute. Now, add the dashi.

    Uses negi, ginger and enoki sauté · prepared dashi stock

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Bring it to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Then, dissolve 3 Tbsp miso into the soup pot: Put the miso in a ladle, add hot stock to the ladle, and stir with chopsticks to dissolve completely. Here, I‘m using a fine-mesh miso strainer that dissolves the miso faster. If you see rice koji left in the strainer, you either can add it to the soup or discard it (personal preference). Alternatively, you could use a miso muddler to dissolve the miso.

    Uses hot stock with sautéed vegetables · 3 Tbsp miso (any type works; I used organic brown rice miso here)

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Hand-tear the 200 g medium-firm tofu into bite-size pieces directly into the miso soup.

    Uses miso soup with dissolved miso · 200 g medium-firm tofu (about ½ source block)

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Add the sliced green parts of the Tokyo negi and the ground sesame seeds to the pot.

    Uses miso soup with hand-torn tofu · reserved sliced green negi parts · roughly ground toasted sesame seeds

    
16. 16

    Step 16: Serve the hot soup in individual bowls. If it needs warming, heat gently just until hot without boiling, to preserve the miso’s flavor and aroma.

    Uses finished miso soup with tofu and sesame