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3 oz (90 g) konbu or wakame, wiped with
a damp cloth
3-by-3-by-5-inch block soft tofu
6 cups (48 fl oz/1.5 liter) bonito stock
or low-sodium chicken broth
6 tablespoons (3 oz/90 g) white miso
paste
1 tablespoon mirin or Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 oz (60 g) enoki mushrooms, stems
trimmed
3 green scallions, trimmed and thinly
sliced on the diagonal
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
⅛ teaspoon
salt
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Method:
If using the konbu, soak in just enough
hot water to cover until soft, about 20 minutes. If using wakame,
soak in hot water to cover until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain
and cut into strips 4 inches long by
⅛ inch (3mm)
wide. Set aside. Bring a small saucepan three-fourths full
of water to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the tofu block,
reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes to firm up the tofu.
Carefully drain the tofu, place on a salad plate, and top with a
second plate. The sandwiched plates act as a weight to force out
excess water from the tofu. Set aside for 30 minutes. Just
before preparing the soup, pour off any water and carefully cut the
tofu into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes. In a large saucepan over low
heat, bring the stock to a bare simmer. Whisk in the miso paste,
mirin, vinegar and sesame oil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir
in the konbu or wakame and the mushrooms, and then gently add the tofu
cubes and green scallions. Season the soup with the white pepper
and salt. Do not allow the soup to boil, or the tofu will break
apart. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve at once.
Note: Wakame is a
variety of seaweed with green curly leaves. The dried leaves,
sold in small packages, are reconstituted briefly before use in a
recipe.
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