Miso soup

Miso soup is called “Misoshiru” in Japanese. Miso soup is an essential part of Japanese dining, so much so that some people drink it every day.

The method of making miso soup involves dissolving miso in warm dashi broth and adding preferred ingredients. While it may seem simple, the taste varies greatly depending on the type of dashi broth, type of miso, and ingredients used.

There are broadly three types of dashi broth: bonito flakes, dried small fish, and a combination of bonito flakes and kombu seaweed. Miso comes in white and red varieties. As for ingredients, you can use whatever you like, but common ones found in households and restaurants include tofu, green onions, daikon radish, and clams.

Bonito flakes are dried and thinly shaved from skipjack tuna. Dried small fish are tiny fish, and kombu is a type of seaweed.

Regarding miso, white miso has a sweeter taste, while red miso is saltier than white miso. Since the flavors are quite different, I recommend trying both.

There is a wide variety of ingredients you can use, and they vary greatly depending on the household or restaurant. When Japanese people return from abroad to Japan, they often say they want to eat “white rice and miso soup.”