Everything else except the Miso paste can be found at Costco. For the Miso paste, I recommend getting it in the cold section of an Asian supermarket.
What is Miso paste?
Miso paste is fermented soybean with salt. It is typically used to make Miso soup, but it can also be used for flavoring in many other dishes. It is generally served at Japanese restaurants.
What you need:
- Miso paste
- rice
- shiitake mushrooms
- tofu
- green onions (optional)
Cook the rice according to the instructions. If you eat rice a lot, I highly recommend getting a rice cooker. It saves time and cooks great rice every time.
Next, soak the shiitake mushrooms in water until it is soft enough to slice. Add as many shiitake mushrooms as you’d like. If fresh mushrooms are available, use that if desired; it’ll have more flavor.
This dried mushrooms from Costco is meant as a crispy snack, but we didn’t like it that way, so I decided to cook it as not to waste what we have left. Thus, the rest is history. We liked it so much that I’ve been using it in many of my dishes. It is not as strong as the fresh ones, but it works. My children prefer it over the fresh ones. As for myself, I like them both.
Cut the tofu into cubes. Again, add as much tofu as you’d like. This tofu from Costco is decent for cooking, and it comes four to a pack, so it is a great price for what you get. I used two packages here, since we like more tofu in our soup.
Follow the directions on the Miso paste to make the Miso soup. I normally add 2 heaping tablespoonfuls of Miso to 3 cups of water. Adjust the amount of water as needed. Miso is an acquired taste, so it might be too strong for some while great for others.
Add the mushrooms and bring it to a simmer. Then add the tofu. Top it off with green onions and serve with rice.