Eggplant Miso Soup
(Richard made me this one day when I sleep deprived and stressed out, and getting sick. It was warm and wonderful. I highly recomend it. - abby)
Here is a Japanese soup. VERY easy to make. There is a decent amount
of time involved, but most of it is inactive (you're letting something
soak, or letting something heat up or whatever). Good, popular, easy,
and cheap. Can't ask for more.
One point. I recommend using spring water. chlorine really throws
off the taste.
Your basic stock
Makes1 Quart Dashi (sea stock)
15 – 20 square inches Kombu
4 1/4 cups cold water
½ cup loosely packed katsu-bushi
1. Place kombu in water. Let soak for 10-15 minutes
2. Heat water. Remove pot from heat as soon as small bubbles begin to
break on the surface and at the edge of the pot.
3. Add Katsuo-bushi, scattering the flakes across the surface of the water
4. Pour through a filter within 5 minutes of adding fish
The soup proper
Serves 4:
1 quart basic sea stock (dashi)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
splash of sake
2 grilled japanese eggplants
2 tablespoons dark miso
¼ cup tightly packed katsuo-bushi
1 myoga bulb (substitute ginger)
1. Preheat over to 400.
Rub eggplants with olive oil.
Make a series of parallel diagonal slices through the eggplant's skin.
Roast eggplants until soft on a baking sheet
Poke chopstick or skewer under the eggplant skin using a handy, dandy slice.
Use your fingers to rotate the skewer while drawing it down the length of the eggplant.
The skin should magically separate from the meat.
Coarse chop the epplant
2. Heat stock in a 2-3 quart pot over medium high heat. Season it with
soy sauce and sake.
3. Wait till small bubbles form arround the rim. Adjust heat so it
barely simmers.
4. dissolve miso into the soup.
5. remove pot from heat. Sprinkle in the katsuo-bushi.
6. shred myoga (ginger). The amount is really a matter of taste. I like about a teaspoon per bowl.
6. reheat soup (do not allow to boil).
7.strain soup, add to bowls with eggplant and ginger. Serve immediately