Recipe
Cheat’s miso soup
By Rose Parkin
July / August 2018
D
o you often find yourself resorting to a slice of dry toast for lunch when you work from home? With a bit of cheese from the back of the fridge, if you’re feeling fancy? You’re not alone. Many freelancers who work from home find that, despite the proximity to the kitchen, it’s often tricky to take time out to make something substantial for lunch. But this quick miso soup recipe packs a punch – it’s big on taste, with an intense umami flavour, and filled with carbohydrates and protein, helping to fuel a productive working day. Miso soup is a traditional Japanese dish, made using fermented soya beans, fish stock, tofu and seaweed. This recipe is a simplified, cheat’s version that is much quicker to make, with different toppings added. And luckily, there’s no messing about with fermentation, as miso paste is now readily available from most supermarkets. If you’re lucky enough to be near your kitchen this lunchtime, make the most of it and indulge in a bowl of rich miso soup with silky noodles, mushrooms, edamame beans and a soft-boiled egg, topped with chilli for an extra kick!
SERVES 1 MAKE IN 10 MINUTES SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS Ingredients 1 medium egg 21g sachet of miso paste 50g frozen shelled edamame beans 50g mushrooms, sliced 150g cooked noodles 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped (optional) 1/4 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced (optional) Method 1. Place the egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for six minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, stir the miso paste into 300ml boiling water. 3. Then add in the frozen edamame beans, simmer for two minutes, before stirring in the mushrooms. Cook for a further minute. 4. Remove the egg from the pan using a slotted spoon and run under cold water. Gently peel the egg when cool and cut in half. 5. Pour the miso mushroom broth into a serving bowl. Add in the noodles, season with the soy sauce and top with the egg, fresh coriander and chilli to serve, if you like.
Tips You can play around with different vegetables in this versatile dish, depending on what you have in the fridge. Thinly sliced carrots or spinach leaves work really well added just before serving. Alternatively, top with sliced spring onion or sesame seeds. For an even deeper flavour, mix the miso with 300ml vegetable stock in place of the boiling water.
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