Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame

Instructions

1. Prepare the dashi
   If using homemade dashi, combine kombu and water in a pot, bring to almost boiling, remove kombu, add bonito flakes, simmer for 1 minute, then strain. If using instant dashi, dissolve the powder in hot water according to package instructions.
2. Rehydrate the wakame
   Place the dried wakame in a small bowl with cold water. Let it soak for about 5 minutes until it expands and becomes soft. Drain well and set aside.
3. Heat the dashi
   Bring the dashi stock to a gentle simmer in a medium pot. If using, add sake, mushrooms, and julienned carrots at this point and simmer for 2-3 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.
4. Add the miso paste
   Place miso paste in a small bowl. Ladle some hot dashi into the bowl and whisk until the miso is fully dissolved. Pour this mixture back into the pot with the remaining dashi. Important: Do not boil the soup after adding miso as it will destroy the flavor and beneficial enzymes.
5. Add tofu and wakame
   Gently add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the soup. Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. If using, add the sesame oil at this point.
6. Serve and garnish
   Ladle the hot miso soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions and nori strips if using. Serve immediately while hot.