Ninjin no surinagashi / miso soup with mashed carrot

Sauteing transforms the humble carrot into a sweet vegetable. With this extra step followed by mashing, carrot adds a pleasant orange hue and mild taste to miso soup.

<Ingredients>

1 carrot
1 green onion (green section) or several chives
1/2 tsp butter (or oil)
350 cc dashi
1 tbsp white miso


<Directions>
1.

Slice carrot into 2-3 mm thick rounds.
Thinly slice green onion.

2.

In a pot, melt butter, and saute carrot on medium low heat until surface becomes glossy.

Add approximately 50 cc dashi (enough to nearly cover carrot), cover, and cook until carrot is very soft, 4-5 minutes.

3.

Mash carrot.

Add remaining dashi, and bring to boil.

Remove from heat, add miso, and mix well.

4.

Serve in individual bowls, and garnish with green onion.

<Notes>

• Carrot can be pureed in a food processor or ground in a mortar, whichever is easier.
• The carrot above is thinly sliced to expedite the cooking process.  It can be sliced thicker or even diced -- it simply takes a bit longer to soften. It can also be grated and sauteed, which eliminates the mashing process.
• Surinagashi is a type of soup made by adding dashi to pureed or ground ingredients such as vegetables, tofu and seafood, and then seasoning with miso or soy sauce. When non-starchy ingredients are used, potato starch or kuzu mixed with water is often added at the end to give it the thick consistency of potage soup.