Miso Soup Recipe with tamarind
This Miso Soup recipe is a combination of Japanese and Filipino cuisine. Miso is basically fermented soybean paste and it has much different variety, most popular of which is red, white and mixed miso.
In the Philippines though, our miso is usually yellow in color. Yes, we also have miso in the Philippines. From what I read (Wikipedia) Miso was brought to the Philippines by Christian Japanese refugees during the Edo period (1603-1868). The locals then learned to use miso to add to our Sinigang (Sinigang sa Miso), a sour tamarind soup usually using fish as meat.
My mama would usually make this using the head and belly of pink salmon or Maya-Maya (red snapper) with tomatoes, onions, and mustard greens. We really like it sour from tamarind and a bit spicy from green chili peppers. Goes really well with hot steamed rice especially during the rainy season.
So the thought occurred to me to make a classic Japanese Miso Soup with tamarind. It is quite simple and easy to make. I used the red miso paste I got from our local Asian store where I was also able to buy the silken tofu and a bunch of sturdy greens called Choi sum. This miso soup recipe is partly inspired by Minimalist Baker’s 15-minute miso soup with greens and tofu, just a bit altered and with added tamarind.
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Miso Soup Recipe with tamarind
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup silken tofu - - cubed
- 3 tablespoons red miso paste - - dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup choi sum - or other sturdy greens - chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions - - chopped
- 1 sheet nori wrap - - cut into strips
- 1-2 teaspoons tamarind powder - or paste
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce - (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil water in a pot. Add Tofu once water starts to boil. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add miso paste and stir.
- Add the rest of ingredients to the pot and let cook for another 3-5 minutes. Serve while hot.
