Miso shiru

Miso shiru traces its roots to the introduction of miso to Japan, a soybean fermentation technique from China refined by Buddhist monks as early as the Nara period. Initially a precious food reserved for wealthy classes and monasteries, miso gradually spread to households, with each region developing its own fermentation methods according to climate and available grains. By the Edo period, miso soup had become widespread, establishing itself as the cornerstone of breakfast and daily meals for the Japanese people, a symbol of peasant cuisine made from little yet nourishing. Each family once maintained its own miso reserve, homemade and aged sometimes for years in large earthenware jars, thus transmitting a unique taste from generation to generation. This modest soup still embodies today the Japanese ideal of a balanced and frugal meal, rooted in the rhythm of the seasons.

• 800 ml dashi broth (kombu seaweed and dried bonito)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons miso paste (white or red depending on the region)
• 150 g silken tofu cut into small cubes
• 1 handful dried wakame seaweed
• 1 finely sliced green onion
• a few shiitake mushrooms according to season

1. Prepare a clear dashi by infusing kombu seaweed in cold water, then adding bonito flakes just before boiling and straining everything.
2. Rehydrate the dried wakame seaweed in a little warm water for a few minutes.
3. Bring the dashi to a gentle simmer, then add the tofu cut into cubes and the drained seaweed.
4. Remove a little hot broth in a small ladle, dissolve the miso paste in it until smooth, then pour back into the pot off direct heat.
5. Heat gently without bringing to a full boil, to preserve the fermented aromas of the miso.
6. Distribute into individual bowls and sprinkle with sliced green onion before serving immediately.

Miso shiru offers a subtle balance between gentle saltiness, deep umami, and a light fermented note reminiscent of earth and the miso's aging time. Its texture remains fluid and comforting, punctuated by the silky softness of tofu and the discreet crunch of rehydrated seaweed. The aroma, warm and slightly briny thanks to the dashi, evolves according to the type of miso used, from white which is sweeter and milder to red which is bolder and more pronounced.