Miso Soup

Bring about 3 cups of water to boil with one dashi packet and turn to a simmer for at least 20 minutes. (For more water, use more packets.) Or use Hondashi and follow the directions on the bottle. Or make your own dashi with kombu and katsuo.

Add any of the following:

tofu

thin sliced onions, zucchini, mushrooms, shiitake, green onions, carrots, sea weed, etc.

Add:

miso paste by putting about 2 Tbsps. in ladle with a little bit of dashi poured into the ladle to dissolve the miso. DO NOT BOIL THE WATER ONCE YOU ADD THE MISO. Gradually pour the miso/dashi mixture back into the soup and mix. Serve.

As a Main Dish Soup

Add:

7 ounces (200 g) pork, thinly sliced

The same vegetables in the same quantities as contained in recipe for "Japanese-style Vegetable Soup"

4 fresh Chinese black mushrooms or other type of fresh mushroom

Broth is the miso soup.

Condiment: Two teaspoons ginger juice (peel and grate fresh ginger, then squeeze)

Yummy and quick on a cold winter day.