Miso Soup with Tofu, Chicken, & Veggies

Miso soup usually always accompanies a meal in Japanese cuisine. Growing up in Japan, my husband enjoyed miso soup at every meal of the day. We try and make it atleast three times a week as it is an easy and nutritious way to eat tofu and seaweed. The best miso soup is made from home-made chicken, pork bone, fish or konbu stock.

Ingredients:
12 cups of home-made chicken stock (large soup pot)
1/2 small daikon (Japanese radish) peeled well, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 cup of chopped cooked chicken
2 blocks of tofu, medium firm, cubed
handful of dried wakame seaweed
1 ladle of miso paste (according to taste)
splash of sake
splash of water if soup is too salty

Method:
Bring the chicken stock to a boil with added celery and carrots.
Add a splash of sake or white wine to stock.
Simmer until veggies are softened.
Rinse and cube tofu.
Add tofu with dried seaweed to simmering stock.
Add ladleful of miso paste gradually.
Bring to boil. Turn off heat.
Taste. If too salty, add a splash of water.
Serve immediately.
Can garnish with mitsuba or finely sliced green onion

** The paler the miso paste, the milder the taste. The darker the colour of miso paste, the stronger and saltier the flavour.
** Mitsuba is a traditional japanese herb similar to parsley.