My ex-husband is Japanese. He introduced me to the wonderful culinary delights of Japanese food. Traditional miso soup has a strong flavour, so my miso noodle soup is an east-meets-west version, that I hope you will enjoy. It’s a healthy soup with good amounts of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Fermented foods such as tofu and miso contain good bacteria which is beneficial for your digestive system. This is an easy-to-make soup and surprisingly filling too.
Where to buy the ingredients?
Tofu, Brown Rice Miso Paste and Brown Rice Vermicelli Noodles are not widely stocked in the supermarkets, but most Waitrose and Sainsbury’s stock Tofu and Brown Rice Miso by ClearSpring. You can also buy them from Ocado and www.realfoods.co.uk. The Brown Rice vermicelli can be found in independent health food stores, Asian supermarkets, or when desperate, via Amazon! My preferred brand for the noodles is Mama. Note once opened, miso paste will keep for a very long time if stored in a fridge.
INGREDIENTS FOR JAPANESE STYLE NOODLE SOUP
Makes 2 generous portions
- 1 teaspoon (approx 5g) coconut oil
- 1 centimetre cube of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ Red (or orange or yellow) bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 6-10 spring onions (dependent on their size) sliced
- 500ml water
- 1½ teaspoons (18g) brown rice miso paste
- 1 ‘cake’ of brown-rice vermicelli noodles
- ½ Packet of tofu cut into cubes
- 30g spinach
METHOD
In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil. Add to the pan, the ginger, red pepper and spring onions. Gently fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the water and miso paste (stick to the 18g if this is your first adventure with miso). Stir and bring to the boil. Now add the noodles. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the noodles are softened. Finally, add the spinach and tofu and cook for less than a minute more: just enough time to for the tofu to be heated and the spinach to wilt. Serve in large pasta/soup bowls and enjoy immediately.
🙂 Eat Well—Be Well.
