540484 Sun Jul 20 07:33:24 -0700 2008 11 31 Home Cooking 0 3884941 Hey Chowhounds, Every time I've tried to make simple Miso Soup is comes out tasting like dishwater. Anyone have some suggestions? Sun Jul 20 07:33:26 -0700 2008 28212 Walters 1 3885069 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/366240 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/394444 the two most important rules - make your own dashi, and use a bold [e.g. shiro], high-quality miso. Sun Jul 20 08:48:07 -0700 2008 3884941 103920 goodhealthgourmet 2 3885154 Hii Walters! In one of the threads goodhealthgourmet listed above (http://www.chowhound.com/topics/366240) I posted a simple primer on miso and how I make my dashi. Both threads have a lot of information! Thanks, goodhealthgourmet! Sun Jul 20 09:24:37 -0700 2008 3885069 95291 Richard 16 1 3885205 Make and use a good, clear chicken or fish stock. Stock from dashi powder is OK. Add grated ginger and rehydrated shiitakes (if using). Add things like green onion, fish, and tofu once stock flavors are integrated. Mix miso and some lemon juice and add in at the end, heating but not boiling. Add napa or bok choy towads the end. Top with chives or nori. Sun Jul 20 09:50:47 -0700 2008 3884941 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 3885296 I went back to the threads (posted last year) and omg. I just had the best laugh. Your quoting of Will Rogers, is that for real or is that your humor eeking out again. I can't wait to use that line on my sons! Some mother huh? Sun Jul 20 10:32:13 -0700 2008 3885205 50431 chef chicklet 3 3885383 That is a Will Rogers line. Hilarious and appropriate for so many occasions. Sun Jul 20 11:15:49 -0700 2008 3885296 36661 Sam Fujisaka 4 3886981 Sadly, The Bard did not survive long enough to experience the shining beauty of a buffed and burnished coprolite. Mon Jul 21 04:52:25 -0700 2008 3885383 17562 FoodFuser 1 3885313 i just posted this ona parallel thread: take a piece of konbu, put it in a pot w/ cold water. slowly heat the water, take the konbu out just before it boils - this should take at least 10 minutes. pull out the konbu. bring the water to a boil, add bonito flakes. turn off the flame. after a minute or 2 the flakes will saturate and sink. strain the solids out and keep the liquid. that is dashi. take a little of the hot dashi in a small bowl. wisk it with the miso til it is all smooth. add it back to the pot, and never boil the miso/dashi mix. voila miso soup. Sun Jul 20 10:41:00 -0700 2008 3884941 135229 thew 2 3886864 yes. it sounds overly painstaking - but you *can* taste the difference. Mon Jul 21 00:17:14 -0700 2008 3885313 23519 barryc 2 3886977 In addition to the kombu/bonito dashi, I like to soak some dried shiitake in hot water and add that to the dashi, along with a splash of fish sauce (which moves it away from the traditional but higher on the umami-meter.) Soft tofu in 1/2 inch cubes is classic, as is a single trefoil leaf and a sprinkle of scallion. A bit of parsley can sub for trefoil, and a pinch of dried onion can sub for the scallion. Mon Jul 21 04:44:26 -0700 2008 3885313 17562 FoodFuser 1 3886742 Umami Sun Jul 20 22:21:30 -0700 2008 3884941 11583 ipsedixit 1 3886985 one of the things i've found is that you need to A) use both white and red miso (60% white to 40% red) B) Make yer own dashi...the powder stuff is MSG-city and super salty (though i suspect most restaurants use this stuff these days). MYO Dashi is a hell of a lot easier and quicker than french chicken/veal stock, providing that you have access to kombu and bonito, and it really makes a difference. Mon Jul 21 04:55:28 -0700 2008 3884941 18608 sixelagogo