Miso soup

Miso soup(味噌汁 or お味噌汁,miso-shiru or omiso-shiru, お-/o- beinghonorific)is a traditionalJapanesesoupconsisting ofmisopaste mixed with adashistock. It is commonly served as part of anichijū-sansai(一汁三菜)meal, meaning "one soup, three dishes," a traditional Japanese meal structure that includes rice, soup, and side dishes.Optional ingredients based on region and season may be added, such aswakame,tofu,negi,abura-age,mushrooms, etc. Along withsuimono(clear soups), miso soup is considered to be one of the two basic soup types ofJapanese cuisine.It is a representative of soup dishes served with rice.
Miso soup is also calledomiotsuke(御御御付)in some parts of Japan, especially aroundTokyo.
The type of miso paste chosen for the soup defines a great deal of its character and flavor. Miso pastes (a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungusAspergillus oryzae, known in Japanese askōjikin(麹菌), and sometimes rice, barley, or other ingredients) can be categorized into red (akamiso), white (shiromiso), or mixed (awase).There are many variations within these themes, including regional variations, such asShinshūmiso orSendai miso.
The amount of time taken also affects its flavor: a miso paste that has been fermented for a shorter period of time, such as a white miso, provides a lighter, sweeter flavor, while one which has been fermented for a longer period, such as a red miso, gives the miso soup a stronger, deeper one.
More than 80% of Japan's annual production of miso is used in miso soup, and 75% of all Japanese people consume miso soup at least once a day.
The most commondashisoup stocks for miso soup are made ofniboshi(dried babysardines),kombu(driedkelp),katsuobushi(thin shavings of dried and smokedbonito(similar toskipjack tuna)), orhoshi-shiitake(driedshiitake). The kombu can also be used in combination withkatsuobushiorhoshi-shiitake. The kelp and/or shiitakedashiserve as a vegetarian soup stock.
When the ingredients involve clams such asasari,shijimi, orhamaguri, they will impart flavorings that serve the role ofdashiand thus it is not necessary to prepare any stock in advance.
Outside Japan, American or European style miso soup is sometimes made by dissolving miso in a Western vegetable stock. The stock might include ingredients such asnegi,carrot,potatoanddaikonradish. In some versions of the dish, chicken stock, Western-style fish stock, and other non-dashibases can even be used, but there is some debate over whether or not miso soups made using these non-traditional bases count as true miso soup.
According toJapanesecustom, ingredients are chosen to reflect the seasons and to provide contrasts of color, texture, and flavor. Thusnegiandtofu, a strongly flavored ingredient mixed with a mildly flavored ingredient, are often combined. Ingredients that float, such aswakameseaweed, and ingredients that sink, such as potatoes, are also combined. Ingredients may include mushrooms (namekoorshiitake), potato,taro, seaweed,green laver, onion,nira,common bean,mitsuba,shrimp,fish, clams, and sliceddaikon. Almost any Japanese ingredient may be added to some type of miso soup. However typical miso soup recipes contain a small number of additional ingredients beyonddashistock and miso.
Ifporkis added to miso soup it is calledtonjiru, meaning ‘pork soup’. Tonjiru is a soup served for dinner and lunch and not usually eaten for breakfast.
Hearty and robust cold-weather variations may includedaikon, deep-fried tofu calledabura-age, potatoes, onions and dark miso. Lighter variations are better suited for spring and summer and made with ingredients such ascabbage,serimyogaand/oreggplant.
Miso soup can be prepared in several ways, depending on the chef and the style of soup. Japanese recipes usually call for most vegetables to be cooked in the simmeringdashi, particularly mushrooms, daikon, carrots, potatoes, tofu, and fish. The miso is suspended separately in somedashistock removed from the simmering mix, to keep the miso paste from cooking, which alters the flavour, kills beneficial bacteria, and reduces the health benefits of biologically active miso paste. When the vegetables are cooked, the stock is removed from heat, the miso suspension is added and mixed into the soup, any uncooked ingredients are added, and the dish is served.
In Japan, miso soup and whitericemake up the central dishes of the traditional Japanese breakfast. The soup has been a favorite of commoners and royalty alike for many centuries, but there are also many other dishes involving breakfast. They are all quite small, some include egg, fish, andnattōwhich is a fermented soybean. The soup is usually served inlacquerbowlswith lids and drunk directly from the bowl, though the solid ingredients are eaten withchopsticks. The bowl sometimes has a lid to keep heat and aroma in as well as to improve the presentation.
Instant miso soup is available in single-serving packets. It is usually sold in dehydrated powder and paste forms, though it is sometimes also soldfreeze dried. It generally contains dried toppings such as wakame and tofu with soybeans that reconstitute rapidly on the addition of hot water.These are popular in the Japanese workplace, where miso soup can be made with lunch as easily as green tea and using the same water. Instant miso soup is available in many grocery stores outside Japan. It has a shelf life of 3 to 12 months.
Wappani(わっぱ煮), a miso-soup-based dish, is unique toAwashima islandoff the coast ofNiigata,Japan. A cedar flask ("wappa"[ja]) is filled with miso soup, fish and vegetables. It is then heated by dropping in hot rocks, which quickly brings it to a simmer. Hot rocks retain their heat for hours after being taken from the fire, so a hot meal can be prepared without the use of fire.
In 2003, researchers at Japan's National Cancer Centre suggested that eating three or more bowls of miso soup every day could lower the risk of breast cancer in women.
Studies in 2020 showed that habitual consumption of miso soup has the effect of lowering blood pressure and heart rate,causing proliferation of good bacteria in the intestines and helping to prevent constipation.
A 2003 epidemiology study in Japan discovered that persons who consume miso soup daily have a lower risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. In 2019 research concluded that fermented soy foods, such as miso, have antidiabetic, antioxidant (anti aging), anti-obesity, anti‐inflammatory,  anticancer and antihypertensive (lowering blood pressure) properties.