The One Soup that Warms My Heart
I am a huge fan of soup. I often find myself craving soup on the coldest of days to warm me up. But there is one soup that holds a special place in my heart; not only for its flavor, but for what it means to me personally and culturally.
When we think of soups, we normally think of something that complements a meal, usually eaten before the main course comes out. However my favorite soup is meant to be eaten with your main dish. If you haven’t guessed from the picture above already, my favorite soup is miso soup, specifically miso soup made from red miso paste. As a staple in Japanese cuisine, my Japanese mother introduced me to miso soup at a young age. And even though I was raised in America, miso soup has become an essential addition to practically any meal I eat with rice.
What I love most about miso soup is its flexibility as a side dish and an ingredient. Depending on what you are eating, you can choose a lighter or heavier miso flavor (white, red, or mixed bean paste varieties), change what you put in it (i.e seaweed, tofu, green onions, fish, etc), and even change when you serve the soup. You can use it as a base for noodle dishes, or include the paste into your favorite western dishes (i.e beef stew) as well. The possibilities are endless when it comes to miso, and I love the rich flavor it adds to any dish.
As I stated above, I prefer my miso soup to be made with red miso paste. For reference, there are two different miso beans, white and red. Similar to the differences between coffee roasts, each bean has its own distinct flavor. White miso is generally considered a lighter flavor; not too salty or earthy while still giving off the classic miso taste. Red miso, on the other hand, is considered to be a darker, heavier flavor; an earthy, salty taste that’s bolder than its lighter counterpart.
What’s interesting to note, however, is the majority of miso soup that is served to customers in restaurants or sold in stores as a powder to be made instantly is actually a mix of white and red miso called “awase” (合わせ), the Japanese word meaning “to meet/blend”. When we think of miso soup, this “awase” flavor is what many people think of for this reason. It allows enjoyers of both different types of miso (since many regions have their own particular style and flavor standards for miso soup) to enjoy the staple without having to worry about which paste they made the soup out of.
So to make a long story about bean paste in boiling water short, I love miso soup and can’t imagine a world without it.
