Kakiage Mixed Vegetable Tempura by Fiona Uyema

I want to share another favourite recipe from my Japanese cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy". I recently tried this recipe with Irish Wild Garlic instead of kale and it was so refreshing and delicious! 

I was lucky to learn the secret to a light and crispy tempura batter while living in Japan and it’s simple – don’t overmix the batter and use ice-cold water. Overmixing the batter will activate the gluten, leaving the batter heavy and doughy, so lumps are OK.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

vegetable oil for deep-frying
lemon wedges to serve
freshly ground sea salt to serve (optional)
For the vegetable mix
80g sweet potato, cut into matchsticks with the skin still on
80g carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
50g kale, stalk removed and roughly chopped
100g onion, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons cornflour
For the batter
1 egg yolk
200ml ice-cold water
a few ice cubes
150g flour, sieved
50g cornflour, sieved
For the dipping sauce
100ml dashi stock (home-made dashi stock (pp. 52–54) or 100ml water and a sprinkle of dashi instant granules)
20ml mirin
20ml soy sauce
grated ginger/daikon (optional)

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a saucepan and let them simmer for a few minutes, then set aside and let cool.
2. Mix all the vegetables in a large bowl and, using your hands, evenly coat them in cornflour, then set aside.
3. Beat the egg yolk and ice-cold water in a large bowl. Toss in a few ice cubes to keep the water cold.
4. Gradually add the flour and cornflour to the water/egg mix and then lightly mix. It’s OK to leave lumps in the batter.
5. Toss all the vegetables into the batter mix and ensure they are all equally coated.
6. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan to 170ºC (medium/high heat). Drop a bit of batter in the oil to check the temperature. If the batter rises slowly to the top of the oil, starts to sizzle and slowly turns a golden-brown colour, then the temperature is right.
7. Put a large tablespoon of the tempura vegetable mix on a large wooden spoon and slowly place in the oil against the side of the saucepan. Use a large spoon or chopsticks to slide the tempura mix off the wooden spoon and into the oil. Remove the wooden spoon slowly once the tempura mix is secure and firmly bound together.
8. Deep-fry the tempura until it is golden brown, turning a few times.
9. Drain on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
10. Serve with either the dipping sauce or lemon wedges and a sprinkle of freshly ground sea salt.

Tips 
For vegetarians use a vegetarian-based dashi stock using seaweed and/or shiitake mushrooms (see page 54).
Make sure none of the ice cubes are caught in the kakiage before you place it in the hot oil.

Salmon Teriyaki recipe from my cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy"

 My cookbook is available to buy on Amazon. 

I want to share one of the most popular recipes from my cookbook SALMON TERIYAKI. The homemade teriyaki sauce works really well with other meats too including steak and chicken. If you are vegetarian it works beautifully drizzled over steamed vegetables or added to a tofu and vegetable stir fry. This is the perfect dish (Japanese recipe) to bring Japanese cooking into your home!

Without exception, everyone loves this salmon teriyaki recipe – it’s one of the most talked about recipes at my cooking classes. The perfect combination of flavours in the salmon and the sweet teriyaki sauce make this an all-time favourite in households across the world and on menus in both Asian and non-Asian restaurants.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- vegetable oil
- 2 fillets salmon
- handful of sesame seeds to garnish

Teriyaki sauce 
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar/honey

Method:

1.  Combine all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce, mix well and set aside.
2.  Pour a little vegetable oil into a non-stick frying pan on a medium to high heat.
3.  Place the salmon fillets (skin-side down) on the frying pan and sear both sides of the fish.
4.  When the fish is nearly cooked (place the salmon fillets skin-side down at this point) pour the teriyaki sauce over it.
5.  Use a large spoon to continually pour the sauce over the fish fillets while continuing to fry.
6.  Fry until the teriyaki sauce is reduced to the consistency of a syrup.
7.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

Tip
Keep a close eye on the teriyaki sauce as it can quickly reduce on a high heat and start to burn.

Tofu steak coated in Japanese seven spice flour - easy vegetarian recipe

This is a really simple meat-free/ vegetarian recipe that can be served with a salad or on top of a bowl of rice (tofu donburi).

Ingredients:
Block of firm tofu (500 - 700g), preferably GM free
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon nanami-togarashi (Japanese seven spice)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
Chopped spring onion and grated ginger (to garnish)

Instructions:
1. Remove the packaging and water from the block of tofu and place on a chopping board.

2. Cut into thick slices (about 1 inch thick).

3. To remove excess water wrap each slice in kitchen towel, place on a large plate and set aside for about 5 minutes. Remove the wet kitchen towel and wrap in kitchen towel again. Set aside for a further 5 minutes depending on the type of tofu (you may need to do this for 10 minutes each time).

4. Mix the flour and nanami-togarashi on a large plate.

5. Remove the kitchen towel from the tofu and coat each tofu slice in the flour mix.

6. Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan on high heat.

7. Gently place the tofu slices on the pan and fry for a few minutes. Once nicely browned turn and fry on the other side for a few minutes.

8. Top with chopped spring onion and grated ginger then drizzle a little soy sauce over the tofu.

Tips:
- Put a heavy weight (e.g. book) on the tofu slices when wrapped in kitchen towel. This will help drain the water from the tofu in less time!

Japanese stir-fried okra vegetable recipe

My husband's grandparents are from Okinawa, Japan so he grew up on an Okinawan/ Japanese influenced diet. Okra is a green vegetable that is grown and popular in the Okinawan diet. I remember eating okra the first time I visited my husband's parents and couldn't believe how tasty it was in his mother's homemade Japanese seasoning. I haven't got her original recipe yet but here's my version of Japanese stir-fried okra, I hope you like it as much as we do in our house!

Ingredients:
Few handfuls of okra
1 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
Half tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
Shichimi-togarashi (Japanese seven spice)

Instructions:
1. Wash the fresh okra under cold water and drain.

2. Using a sharp knife cut off the top and end of the okra. Then, slice about half an inch thick to allow the flavour to completely absorb into the okra pieces when stir-frying (see pic below).

3. Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil on high heat on a non-stick frying pan.

4. Toss the okra pieces into the frying pan and after frying for about a minute add the sake and mix using a large spoon. Continue to fry for another minute. Then, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the okra and fry for another minute continuing to mix.

5. Finally pour the soy sauce over the okra. Take off the heat after one minute or less.

6. Season with shichimi-togarashi (Japanese seven spice).

Tips:
- Okra can be found in Asian stores. 

- This dish can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and eaten hot or cold.
- Leftovers are perfect for a bento box (Japanese lunchbox).

Edamame hummus

 
This recipe is a healthy lunchbox filler or an easy party food.

Ingredients:
200g edamame
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Half tsp sesame oil
Half clove garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp water
Freshly ground salt and pepper (to season)

You'll need:
Pestle and mortar
Blender

Instructions:
1. Toss the sesame seeds on a roasting tray and place in a pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes.

2. Using a pestle and mortar, grind the hot sesame seeds until most of the seeds are cracked and ground.

3. Place the frozen edamame in a saucepan of boiling water, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Then drain.

4. Remove the edamame beans from the outer pod by using your fingers to gently squeeze the beans out of the pod. Remember you can't eat the outer pods!

5. Place all the cooked edamame beans, ground sesame seeds and the remaining ingredients in a blender and blitz until the texture is nice and creamy.

6. If you think the mixture is too dry then add a little more olive oil or water.

Tips:
- To add a little spice to this recipe add cayenne pepper or Japanese seven spice (nanami togarashi).
- This hummus goes really well with toasted pitta bread, carrot or celery sticks.

Homemade Vegetarian Furikake Recipe

During the Christmas holidays my friend came home from Japan with her three children and stayed with us for a few nights. On the first morning of their stay I asked the kids what they wanted for breakfast and they said rice and furikake!! Furikake is a mix of dry ingredients that Japanese people love to use to season rice. I didn't have any furikake in the house so I made this recipe with ingredients I had in the cupboard. You can buy furikake in Asian markets but I like to make my own as I can control the amount of salt and sugar and avoid MSG.

For this recipe, I'm using milled Irish dillisk which is made by an Irish company called Sea of Vitality. They have a great selection of seaweed products including the milled dillisk, ground kelp and a bread mix with seaweed.  I also use this milled dillisk for soups, stews and bread recipes. 

Ingredients:

8 tsp milled dillisk (dulse)

8 tsp black sesame seeds

8 tsp white sesame seeds

Freshly ground sea salt (to season)

Instructions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

2. Put in air tight container (e.g. empty jam jar).

3. It can be used as it is. Simply sprinkle over rice or add to other dishes/ salads.

Tips:

- You can use other dry ingredients for the furikake mix such as dry nori flakes, bonito flakes etc.

- Furikake can be sprinkled over a bowl of rice or onigiri (rice balls). It can also be mixed with breadcrumbs for coating fish and chicken.

JAPANESE KALE DONBURI RECIPE

If you feel like you've had enough burgers and sausages on the BBQ and need a break from meat here is the perfect recipe that will help you detox. Kale is growing in popularity and is a well known superfood with detox properties. I eat meat but there are times when I like to take a break from it and eat vegetarian dishes like this.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
2 x portions of boiled rice 
100g kale, washed
2 cloves of garlic (peeled and finely diced)
Juice of half a lemon
Vegetable oil and olive oil (to fry)
Salt & pepper (to season)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the thick part of the stem from the leaves.
2. Roll the leaves into a bunch and cut into thin ribbons.
3. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto a frying pan.
4. Turn the heat to medium and toss the garlic on the pan cooking until you start to get a nice aroma from the garlic (do not brown). 
5. Season the garlic infused oil with salt and pepper.
6. Add the chopped kale and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. Pour the lemon juice over the kale.
8. Stir and fry until the kale is bright green all over. 
9. At this point, take the kale off the hot pan as it will continue to cook. 
10. Serve on top of a bowl of rice or as a side to a main dish.

NUTRITIONAL INFO ABOUT KALE:

• Strong cancer protection properties. 
• Helps the body detox and lower cholesterol.
• Contains high levels of vitamin A, C, K & B6.
• Also contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, fibre & iron.

TIPS:

• Do not overcook the kale in order to retain the nutritional value.
• Adding lemon juice to the kale enhances its nutritional value.
• Garnish with pine nuts or almonds.
• Serve with a fried egg, bacon or frozen prawns. 

MY JAPANESE RECIPE TWIST: LOTUS ROOT CHIPS/ CRISPS

Like most Irish people I love eating crisps. These homemade lotus root crisps are a healthy substitute. I've even convinced my toddler that they're just as tasty as crisps. You can find lotus root in most Asian markets.

INGREDIENTS:

A mix of vegetable oil and sesame oil at ratio of 3:1 (for frying)

1 large fresh lotus root (about 1lb)

1 tsp vinegar or a generous squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper (to season)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel the lotus root and finely slice using a sharp knife or mandolin.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to a bowl of water.

3. Place the sliced lotus root in the bowl of vinegar water for about 5 minutes. This will stop the lotus root from browning.

4. Pat dry the lotus root using paper towel.

5. Heat the oil to 170 degrees Celsius in a saucepan on medium to heat. To check if the oil is at the right temperature just place one of the lotus root slices in the oil and if it pops to the top of the oil then it's at the right temperature.

6. Fry the lotus root in the oil until they turn a nice golden brown colour.

7. Place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

WHY NOT:

Serve as a side with steak or fish.

Goes really well with beer or wine.

JAPANESE SEAWEED & TOFU SALAD RECIPE

My husband’s grandparents came from a beautiful chain of islands off the south of mainland Japan called Okinawa. Okinawa is best known outside of Japan for enjoying one of the highest life expectancies in the world. This is mainly attributed to their healthy diet which includes tofu, seaweed and sweet potato.

Although Ireland has always had an abundant supply of seaweed it's only recently that we've started to take advantage of this wonderful natural resource. Nowadays, we have a collection of Irish seaweed companies including the Wild Irish Sea Veg, Cleggan Seaweed Company, Carraig Fhada Seaweed and VOYA). 

If you'd like to learn about seaweed and how to cook with it an Irish lady called Prannie Rhatigan wrote a fantastic book called "Irish Seaweed Kitchen".

Here's a very basic recipe of mine using seaweed and tofu.

INGREDIENTS:
3 medium size tomatoes (cut into bite size pieces)
1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed (soak in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes)
280g tofu/ small block of tofu (preferably organic GM free)

Salad dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp wasabi
Half tsp brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put all the salad dressing ingredients into an empty jam jar, put the lid on and shake well until the sugar is dissolved. 
2. Cut the block of tofu into small bite size cubes.
3. Take the wakame out of the water and place on kitchen paper to remove excess water.
4. Place the tofu, wakame and tomato pieces in a salad bowl.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad when ready to eat.

Where can I buy seaweed?
Seaweed is available in Asian markets and health stores and more recently it's available in supermarkets. My local fish shop has a great selection of seaweed.

TIPS:
Depending on your own taste add more or less wasabi and sugar.

NOTES:
See my miso soup recipe with wakame and tofu.
For more info on seaweed see www.seaweed.ie

JAPANESE SWEET POTATO CHIPS RECIPE WITH WASABI MAYO

I mentioned in a previous post that I’m always looking for foods that help asthma since my little boy was diagnosed with asthma this year. Sweet potatoes can help diseases related to inflammation such as asthma and also chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. It's worth including them as part of your weekly diet as they're filled with nutrional benefits.

This recipe is a quick and healthy way to eat sweet potatoes as a snack or as a side dish to a main meal.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large sweet potato, about 400g (peeled and cut into chips)

2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper for seasoning 
Nori (optional to garnish)
Wasabi mayo (optional for dipping sauce)

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Place the sweet potato chips in a roasting tray and use your hands to coat in the oil and then season with freshly ground salt and pepper. 
3. Spread the chips out in a single layer so they cook properly and won't stick together.
4. Cook for about 30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chips) in the oven until the chips are cooked through.

TO MAKE WASABI MAYO

Mix the mayo and wasabi together until you get a nice green mayo. Add more or less wasabi depending on your liking. I usually add 1tsp of wasabi to every 2 tsp of mayo.  

NOTES: 

Wasabi is made from the root of the wasabi plant. It has a similar taste to hot mustard and is regularly used in Japan. It is best known for being served on the side with sushi. If you can't find wasabi for this recipe (big supermarkets like Tesco and Superquinn stock wasabi) then Hellman's recently launched Hellmann's wasabi mayonnaise.

Click here to see my recipe on Japanese style fish & chips

QUICK JAPANESE RECIPE: FIG & GOAT'S CHEESE SALAD WITH JAPANESE DRESSING

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
100g mixed salad leaves
2 fresh figs (cut into bite size pieces)
80g soft goat's cheese (use a teaspoon to roll into small balls)
3 radish (thinly sliced)

JAPANESE DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour all the Japanese salad dressing ingredients into an empty jam jar, put the lid on and shake well. 
2. Toss all the salad ingredients into a salad bowl. 
3. Just before serving pour the salad dressing over the salad and mix well using your hands.   

JAPANESE COLESLAW RECIPE WITH DAIKON AND CARROT

Since my son was diagnosed with asthma I've tried to research what kind of foods might help his asthma. A healthy and well balanced diet should definitely be part of his overall asthma treatment plan. However, I read various articles that mentioned the possible link between two Asian vegetables and the improvement of respiratory related illnesses such as asthma. These vegetables are lotus root (renkon in Japanese) and mooli (daikon in Japanese). They're part of the Japanese diet and recently have become available in the West. I buy these vegetables in my local Asian market and sometimes I can find them at my local farmer's market. It's worth mentioning that these vegetables not only aid respiratory related illnesses but also have an endless list of associated health benefits including anti cancerous properties.

Mooli - daikon

Lotus root - renkon

Daikon is a white radish that can be used for juices, salads, soups, stews etc. Here's a simple recipe of mine using daikon. 

JAPANESE COLESLAW WITH DAIKON AND CARROT

INGREDIENTS:

100g daikon (peeled and roughly grated)

100g carrot  (peeled and roughly grated)

2 tbsp mayo

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp soya sauce

Salt and pepper (to season)

Black or white sesame seeds (to garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the mayonnaise, rice vinegar and soya sauce in a large bowl.

2. Add the grated daikon and carrot and mix well.

3. Serve with sesame seeds sprinkled on top (optional)

NOTES:

- If you don't have rice vinegar and soya sauce at home just add mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and salt & pepper instead. 

- Click on the links below to see my other lotus root recipes:

Sauteed lotus root and carrot
Lotus root and seaweed salad

JAPANESE STYLE OMLETTE IN 10 MINUTES

Omu-raisu is a Japanese omlette with fried rice in the middle served with tomato ketchup. It is one of the many modern Japanese dishes brought into Japan from abroad. This is my version of the Japanese omlette with mixed vegetables instead of rice.

 

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs (free range/ organic)
Half tsp soya sauce
1 tsp caster sugar
Few handfuls of spinach leaves
3 shitake mushrooms lightly fried 
Boiled edamame (soya beans) optional
Tomato ketchup to garnish 

Vegetable oil for frying 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Lightly mix 3 eggs, soya sauce and caster sugar in a bowl using a fork or chopsticks. 
2. Put on a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
3. Add the egg mixture to the frying pan and move around so the egg is evenly spread on the pan (cook the omlette slowly). 
4. When the egg starts to cook around the edges use the side of a spatula or chopsticks to draw the edge of the egg into the centre allowing the uncooked egg sitting on top to cook. 
5. Continue to do this a few times until there is a little liquid left sitting on top. 
6. Take the omlette off the heat. 
7. Place all the ingredients including the spinach leaves, mushrooms and edamame in a line down the centre of the omlette.
8. Fold the omlette like a wrap. 
9. Carefully put the wrapped omlette on a plate as shown in the picture. 
10. Drizzle tomato ketchup over the omlette.

 

TIPS:

1. Remember that the egg will continue to cook when it is folded so leave a little liquid on top before taking off the heat. 

2. You can eat this omlette without fillings or use another type of filling.

Japanese Renkon & Wakame Salad - Lotus Root & Seaweed Salad

This is a refreshing and healthy salad that can be quickly prepared. You don't have to follow the exact ingredients listed below, use whatever you have in the fridge! 

Click here to see my last post on lotus root which has a brief note on the health benefits associated with lotus root and where it can be sourced.  

 
Ingredients:
300g renkon/ lotus root (peeled and cut into thin slices)
1 medium sized carrot (peeled and cut into julienne strips)
Half a large cucumber (remove seeds and cut into julienne strips)
1 tbsp dried wakame (seaweed)
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp Japanese soya sauce
Salt & Pepper (to season)

Instructions:

1. Add 1 tsp of  vinegar and sliced lotus root to a mediun sized saucepan of boiling water and boil for 10 mins. 

2. Remove the lotus root from the water and set aside to cool on kitchen towel to remove excess water.

3. Place the dried wakame in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. Then remove the wakame from the water and place on kitchen towel to remove the excess water. 

4. Place the cooled lotus root, wakame, carrots and cucumber in a large salad bowl.

5. Add 2 tbsp of mayo, 1 tsp of soya sauce and pepper. 

6. Mix well and serve chilled.

Tips:

After peeling lotus root it can quickly turn brown so soak it in water and vinegar if you're not going to use it immediately. 

Where can I find lotus root? 

In most Asian markets

What are the health benefits associated with lotus root?

Low in calories and high in dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, thiamim and riboflavin. 

 

SPINACH, BEANSPROUT AND TOFU DONBURI

Donburi means bowl in Japanese but when referring to food it can mean a Japanese rice bowl dish. So when a dish is served sitting on a bowl of rice the name of the dish often ends with don (the abbreviation for donburi)!

Oyako-don (chicken and egg dish) and katsu-don (pork cutlet, egg and onion dish) are two of the most popular donburi dishes in Japan.

I made my own donburi dish one evening using leftovers in the fridge and was delighted to find that spinach and beansprouts go really well with tofu in a stir-fry. You can use whatever leftover vegetables you have at home for this dish once you have the rice and the seasoning. 

Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 30 mins

Ingredients
Bowl of cooked rice per person serving
Vegetable oil or rapeseed oil (for frying)
Sesame oil (for frying)
150g tofu, preferably GM free (carefully cut into bite size rectangular pieces)
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and finely grated)
Thumbsize piece of ginger (peeled and finely grated)
150g Spinach/ Pak choi
150g Beansprouts

Seasoning:
2 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
3 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar

Roasted sesame seeds or nanami togarashi (optional to garnish)

Instructions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat. 
2. Gently place the tofu pieces on the pan and fry both sides of the tofu until slightly browned.
3. Carefully place the fried tofu pieces on a plate and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil in a heavy based saucepan.
5. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for less than one minute (do not brown).
6. Toss in the beansprouts, spinach and finally add the fried tofu pieces.
7. Pour the sake evenly over the veg and tofu followed by soya sauce and sugar. Then gently stir.
8. Fry for a few minutes until the seasoning has absorbed into the vegetables and tofu.
9. Serve on top of a bowl of white rice.
10. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds or nanami togarashi over the dish.

How to eat:
This dish can be served immediately with rice. It can also be eaten cold like a salad and tastes great the next day!

Tips:
1. Freeze leftover rice in the freezer in portion sizes wrapped in cling film.
2. Try not to overcook the vegetables.

Notes:
Please see my posts on Basic Japanese Ingredients to understand the basic ingredients used for Japanese cooking.
Basic Japanese Ingredients Part I
Basic Japanese Ingredients Part II

Japanese hearty breakfast - miso soup with poached egg

Japanese people consider breakfast to be one of the most important meals of the day. A traditional Japanese breakfast includes a bowl of rice, miso soup and side dishes which are usually leftover from the previous day's dinner.

It's not always practical to prepare a full traditional Japanese breakfast but this hearty miso soup is a nice compromise!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 litre homemade dashi stock or 1 litre water and 1 tbsp instant dashi granules

300g tofu, preferably GM free (cut into bite size cubes)
1 tbsp dried wakame 
1 poached egg (preferably organic or free range) per each bowl serving
2-3 tbsp miso paste (you can add more if you like a stronger taste) 
Scallions/ Spring onion (finely diced to garnish)
Sesame seeds or nanami togarashi (optional to garnish)

*Click here to see miso and dashi explained on my "Basic Japanese ingredients - what they are and where you can find them" post
*Click here to see my recipe for homemade dashi (fish stock) 

Instructions:

1. If you're using homemade dashi then click here to see how to make homemade dashi. Once the homemade dashi is ready put it in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. If you're using instant dashi granules then put 1 litre of cold water into a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Then add 1 tbsp of instant dashi granules to the water and stir.
3. Once the dashi is boiling add the wakame seaweed and reduce the heat so that the water isn't boiling but simmering.
4. Gently toss the tofu pieces into the saucepan.
5. Dilute the miso paste in a cup of dashi taken from the saucepan. Then, add to the saucepan and gently mix all the ingredients. 
6. Pour the miso soup into a bowl.
7. Place the poached egg on top of the miso soup.
8. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds/nanami togarashi 

How to eat:
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks or a spoon. Japanese people hold the bowl to their mouth to drink the soup. They use chopsticks to eat the bite size ingredients in the soup.
 
Tips:  
Never boil the miso soup only allow to simmer.

Why not: 

Put udon noodles or one large spoon of boiled rice in the bottom of the bowl before pouring the miso soup.