hacho miso soup for dinner tonight....

[mike_c]

3 cups fresh double strength chicken stock (been cleaning out the accumulated carcases in the frezzer)

1/2 cup mirin (sweet sake)
1 Tbsp shoyu
1 Tsp hon dashi powdered dashi flavoring
1 shallot, chopped
1 Thai bird's eye chili, sliced thin
1 tsp or a little more of 3 year old fermented hacho miso
a few pieces of dried wakami seaweed
some chopped scallion

4 large prawns

1/4 package fresh wide-cut chinese noodles

Bring the stock, mirin, soy, dashi powder, shallot, and chili to a simmer. Add the miso and simmer for about 20-30 min to soften the miso, stirring occasionally to mix. Be sure to use hatcho miso-- very dark brown, almost tarry-- not lighter miso that's aged for less time. Hatcho miso is what makes this soup great.

While the miso is dissolving, soak the wakami in warm water. When softened, cut out and discard the midrib, then cut the wakami into bite-sized pieces. Shell the prawns (shells go in the seafood stock bag in the frezzer :-)). Boil salted water to cook the noodles.

When the stock is ready, add the wakami and prawns to the simmering pot. Simmer uncovered while the noodles cook, about 4 minutes or so. Drain the noodles, put them into one side of a bowl, put the cooked prawns in the other side, then fill the bowl with stock. Season to taste, and sprinkle on the chopped scallions. Serves one.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. So ... Mike ..... you keep bodies in yer freezer, huh?

That soup sounds great!

The miso .... is any dark miso assumed to be aged? We used some a while ago that was very dark - tar like, as you say - and it was great!

Where do you get the seaweed? We have many Asian grocers nearby. Is this something to be found in a plastic vacuum pack? I am familiar with how to buy nori, but have seen the huge variety of seaweeds when in Japan. I've never bought any (or even looked for it) here.

[mike_c]

2. the wakami is dried, like nori, in pieces in a plastic bag....

I get it at the local grocery, not at an asian market. Sometimes it's sold simply as "sea vegetable."

Yes, as far as I know miso darkens as it ages. The 3 year old hatcho miso I buy (also at the local grocery store) gives soup a hearty, meaty taste that most americans probably would not associate with miso soup.

Oops, there goes the timer-- noodles are ready! Dinner time! I tasted the stock a minute ago and it is awesome. Gotta bottle of cold Chardonnay in the 'fridge....