Kabocha to shimeji no misoshiru / miso soup with kabocha pumpkin and shimeji mushrooms

Kabocha's sweetness and shimeji's earthy note come together for a mild yet complex miso soup.

<Ingredients>

3-4 cm wide wedges of kabocha pumpkin (100 g in photo)
Small handful shimeji mushrooms
Green section of 1 green onion
300 cc dashi
1 tbsp miso


<Directions>
1.

Seed, skin and cut kabocha into 1cm thick pieces.
Cut off the root ends of shimeji, and cut long ones in half.
Thinly slice green onion.

2.

In a pot, bring dashi to boil, put kabocha and shimeji, and simmer on medium low heat until kabocha is soft, about 10 minutes.

3.

Take some dashi from pot and loosen miso, add to the pot.

Remove from heat.

4.

Serve in individual bowls, and top with green onion.

<Notes>

• Shiitake, hiratake oyster, eringi king oyster, maitake mushrooms and chanterelles are good alternatives. Enoki would also be good if kabocha is julienned or diced (enoki is too thin to match kabocha cut as above). Crimini and button mushrooms have a distinctive sour taste while portabella is too strong, and they are not recommended for this recipe.
• This miso soup tastes mellow and goes well with spicy dishes or those with a clean, refreshing flavor.