Easy Miso Soup

I've been cooking dinner with Betsy all the time recently and she wanted to know how to make the soup they make at Inoko's restaurant in Athens, GA.  Their miso is a bit odd because it's peppery but still pretty good!

Easy Peppery Miso Soup

3½ Cups water plus ½ cup

1½ tsp miso paste (toasted)

1½ tsp peppercorns

1½ tsp hon dashi dried stock

1-½ clove of garlic chopped into about 4 pieces

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1”x2” piece of kombu kelp

Pinch of ground black pepper

Small Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Toast the miso paste first in a pot for about 30 seconds to a minute or spread on a spoon over an open flame until it slightly browns and becomes aromatic.  Add in the 3½ cups of water and dissolve the miso.  Add in everything else but the kombu.  Bring it to a boil.  Brush off any sand or dust from the kombu piece.  Add in the boiling soup for about 30 seconds and take it out and throw it away.  After cooking the soup for about 20-30 minutes, then take it off the heat and let it sit for about 20 minutes.  Add in the final ½ cup of water that cooked out during the boiling process. 

Now drain the soup through a wire strainer or a coffee strainer.  Serve with small pieces of tofu warm with green onions on top.

I ate this soup with some nikuman and fried tofu dipped in ketcup mixed with sriracha chili garlic sauce.  I freaking love tofu...you don't even understand!!

That's about it!

~Kyle~