CLASSIC MISO SOUP - MISO SHIRU

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 small leek (white and light green part only)
5 cups Dashi
a few strands dried wakame seaweed
4 ounces fresh tofu
2 tablespoon red miso

Directions:
Slice the leek finely. Bring Dashi to a simmer, ad the slices of leek and simmer for 3 minutes until just cooked. Brake the wakame seaweed into small pieces (trim of the tough stems), cut tofu into about 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the soup. Dissolve the miso paste in a few tablespoon of the hot stock, blending it with a wire whisk. Stir half the mix into the soup, taste and add more if necessary to make it a rich well tasting soup. Heat up a bit until nearly boiling.

Ladle the soup evenly into 4 bowls, add a few slivers of scallion and serve immediately.

DASHI
2 pieces 2-4 inch dried kombu (edible kelp - large seaweed)
3-5 pack (.175 ounces each) dried bonito flakes

Wipe kombu with a damp kitchen towel and put it into 7 cups of cold water, bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes  (do not boil as this makes it bitter tasting). Skim off any scum. Add 2-3 packs of the bonito flakes and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes. Turn off and add another 1-2 packets of bonito flakes, let sit for about 10 minutes, strain and use.

Dashi can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days or can be frozen.

All these ingredients can be found in any Asian Market.