Ingredients
- 600 ml water
- A 10 cm piece of kombu seaweed (optional, for a richer broth)
- 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 150 g silken or firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 2–3 tbsp miso paste (white for a sweeter, gentler flavour; brown or red for a deeper one)
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- A few shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
Method
- Make the broth: put the water and kombu in a pan and heat gently. Just before it boils, remove the kombu.
- Soak the wakame: cover the wakame with warm water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Simmer: add the tofu and mushrooms (if using) to the broth and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the miso: take the pan off the heat. Put the miso in a small bowl, mix it with a ladle of the hot broth until smooth, then stir it back into the pan. Don't let the soup boil once the miso is in.
- Serve: add the wakame, ladle into bowls and scatter with spring onions.
Why it's good for you: Miso is made by fermenting soya beans, and unpasteurised miso contains live, friendly microbes, which is why it should never be boiled. Seaweed is one of the best natural sources of iodine, needed for a healthy thyroid. (Read more in The Master Regulator.)
Good to know: Miso is salty, so enjoy it as part of a varied diet if you are watching your salt. Seaweed is very high in iodine; enjoy it in moderation, especially if you have a thyroid condition. Check the miso is labelled gluten-free if you need it to be, as some contain barley.
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