Tofu to age no aka dashi / aka miso soup with tofu and thin deep-fried tofu

A basic miso soup with tofu.

<Ingredients>

1/3-1/2 kinugoshi soft tofu
2-3 cm usuage thin deep-fried tofu
Several chives
300 cc dashi
1 tbsp aka miso

<Directions>
1.

Prep-boil usuage, thinly slice, and cut 2-3 cm long.

Chop chives.
(In photo, chives are thinly sliced lengthwise and soaked in water to form curls.)

2.

Heat dashi in a pot.

3.

Take 1-2 tbsp dashi from the pot and soften miso.

4.

When dashi boils, remove from heat, and put miso, less than the specified amount at first. Taste, and add more miso if necessary.

5.

Put usuage in miso soup.

Cut tofu into cubes on palm, and slide into miso soup while using the back of knife against palm as a guide.

6.

Serve in individual bowls and garnish with chives.

<Notes>

• If using firm tofu, slicing it on a cutting board would be OK. Cutting soft tofu on palm is to prevent it from crumbling, as it tends to crumble if transferred from a cutting board to pot. 
• Garnish options: green onion (thinly sliced lengthwise or rounds), leafy vegetables (raw or blanched/microwaved).