Japanese cuisine · Soups & Stews

Nameko Jiru

Velvety miso soup with glossy nameko mushrooms and soft silken tofu, naturally thickened by the mushrooms.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200 g nameko mushrooms (jarred, or enoki instead)
• 200 g silken tofu
• 1 l dashi
• 4 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 scallions
• 1 tsp shichimi togarashi (or chili flakes instead)

Instructions

1. Rinse the nameko mushrooms briefly under cold water in a sieve, but don't wash them clean – the glossy coating later makes the soup silky; slice the scallions into thin rings.
2. Carefully tip the silken tofu out of its package and cut into 1.5 cm cubes with a wide knife without crushing it.
3. Bring the dashi to a boil in a pot, add the sake and let the mushrooms simmer in it for 3 min. over medium heat until they swell up glossily.
4. Gently add the tofu cubes and warm for a further 2 min., stirring only very gently with the ladle.
5. Dissolve the miso paste smooth in a ladleful of the hot broth, stir in and take the soup off the heat immediately so the miso keeps its aroma.
6. Ladle into warmed bowls, sprinkle with scallion rings and a pinch of shichimi togarashi, and serve hot.