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The weather is finally getting cooler in Hawaii which means we get to enjoy this Quickie Tofu Miso Soup more often. Cold weather means our whole family is not drinking as much water as during the warmer months. This miso soup is a great way to get some nutrients into our bodies when we don’t want to drink milk or other cold beverages.
This Quickie Miso Tofu Soup is one of the simplest ways to make miso soup but with WAY more tofu and wakame seaweed (because we like it that way!). You can always use less tofu and less wakame, especially if this is being served as a side dish. Add some green onions if you wish for a fresh mild onion bite; it works well in this soup
Health Benefits: Miso Paste
Miso paste is a Japanese fermented soybean (edamame) paste created with salt and koji (a fungus or mold) and fermented anywhere from months to years. It’s very flavorful and used in many ways in Japanese cuisine. It is also very popular in Hawaii because of the Japanese immigrants working in the Hawaii plantations.
Fermentation is good for the gut. It helps increase the good bacteria in your gut and fight harmful bacteria. It might also help with energy levels, anxiety, depression, moodiness, as well as brain fog. I’ve been reading about the connection between the gut and the brain and learned that the gut bacteria is often sending messages to the brain that turns into food cravings because the gut bacteria wants certain food to eat! So there may be a good reason why it is so hard to resist those food cravings!
Health Benefits: Tofu
Tofu is a great way to quickly add protein to any meal. Because of this and the calcium and iron found in it, we eat tofu a few times a month. It’s a cheap way to help take care of your heart and muscles while bulking up your vegetarian meals.
In some places, you can get double the amount of tofu for the price you would pay for a piece of meat. It’s almost unheard of that you can be healthy and help curb your food bill. If you haven’t tried tofu yet, give it a go in this miso soup!
Seaweed Health Benefits
Many varieties of seaweed have folate, magnesium, and calcium. There are several current studies that show various health benefits to humans and cows. It can help with digestion and regulate thyroid issues, as well as possibly with preventing diabetes.
Dried wakame seaweed is great to have in your pantry. It lasts for a long time because you only need a little at a time to add to your recipes. The dried version is relatively inexpensive when compared to prepared and seasoned fresh or previously frozen seaweed that you might see in the Asian market near the deli and prepared food section. Check out the wakame I used in the link below the photo.
If you are sensitive to iodine, try wakame cautiously. Some people may have allergic reactions to seaweed due to the iodine.
If you love this quick and tasty miso soup, you will enjoy some of these other Japanese-inspired meals that Hawaii locals love.
Quickie Tofu Miso Soup
Equipment
- 1 3-quart pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 small heat-safe bowl
- 1 small ladle or spoon
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cup water
- 1 5 gram package dashi powder
- 2 tbsp red miso paste
- ¼ cup dried wakame seaweed
- 8 to 10 ounces firm tofu cubed
Instructions
- Pour water in the pot and heat to a boil. In the meantime, measure your remaining ingredients and cut the tofu. Put the red miso paste in a small heat-safe bowl.
- When the water is boiling, add dashi powder and stir until it is dissolved.
- Take one or two ladles of hot liquid from the pot and put it in the bowl with the miso paste. Stir until the miso is well combined into the liquid and pour it back into the pot.
- Add dried wakame (seaweed) and cook for about one minute until softened. Then add cut tofu and gently stir so the tofu cubes do not break.
- Right before serving, stir the soup. The miso paste will slowly start to separate from the water as it sits in the pot and cools. Stirring right before serving will ensure the miso flavor is distributed throughout the soup.
