Atsuage to mizuna no mishoshiru / miso soup with deep-fried tofu and mizuna

A hearty yet mild miso soup with basic ingredients. Great on chilly days.

<Ingredients>

1 atsuage deep-fried tofu
Handful mizuna
300 cc dashi
1 tbsp miso


<Directions>
1.

Pour boiling water over atsuage, pat dry with paper towel to absorb extra oil.

Cut atsuage into 10-14 pieces.
Cut mizuna into 3-4 cm.

2.

In a pot, bring dashi to boil, add atsuage, and simmer for 5-10 minutes on medium low heat.

3.

Add miso (loosened with dashi from pot). 

Add mizuna.
When soup is almost boiling, it is ready to serve.

<Notes>

• While it depends on the size, one atsuage usually makes plenty of miso soup for two people. One-third to one-half of atsuage should be enough if served with other filling dishes.
• Freshly made Japanese-style atsuage (soft or semi-soft) is recommended. Vacuum-packed atsuage tends to have a dense texture, and it is not desirable for dishes where a satisfying tender taste is the goal (vacuum-packed atsuage is better for sauteed dishes).
• If not serving immediately after adding miso, remove the pot from heat. When ready to finish cooking, heat it up until the soup is almost boiling, and add mizuna. Do not boil the soup (even when reheating) after adding miso, as miso tastes and smells best immediately before reaching boiling temperature.