Main plate, Soups And Stews
1 tablespoon sesame oil (see note)
1 tablespoon ginger-root, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups water
2-3 tablespoons wakame or other seaweed
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into matchsticks
4 whole scallions, trimmed, thinly sliced, greens reserved
1 1/2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms (see note) (optional)
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
8-12 ounces buckwheat soba noodles, uncooked (see note)
1 pound baby bok choy, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8-10 tablespoons mellow white miso (see note)
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon nanami togarashi or sachimi togarashi (optional)
1 teaspoon prepared wasabi or to taste) (optional)
1
2 lbs tofu, diced or crumbled
0) Boil soba noodles in salted water just until tender and set aside with a little sesame oil to keep from clumping. Mince ginger; prep garlic; cut carrots into matchsticks; slice scallions, separateing whites and greens; measure edamame; slice bok choy, separating whites and greens; measure miso, soy sauce, togarashi, and wasabi, if using, into a heat-proof measuring cup or bowl.
1) Heat the sesame oil in a large soup pot. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the water, wakame, scallion whites and dried mushrooms (if using), and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. If not using mushrooms, simmer for 5 minutes.
2) Add the edamame and carrots, and cook for 3 minutes.
3) Add the bok choy whites and cook until they are tender crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the bok choy greens, stir for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
4) Add 1/2 cup of the soup broth to the miso/wasabi. Stir or whisk until there are no lumps. Add miso mixture and soy sauce to the soup and return to heat for 1-2 minutes, just to heat through. Be sure not to boil. Taste and add more miso, soy sauce, togarashi or wasabi, as needed.
Whole dried shiitaki mushrooms look nice in this soup but may be hard to chew. You can cut them in pieces with a pair of kitchen shears after they’ve softened. If you happen to have fresh mushrooms, you can use about 5-8 ounces.