Red miso and sweet potato soup
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sake
- Vegetable oil
- 10g kombu
- 1.1 litres cold water
- 1/2 cup dried bonito flakes (optional*)
- 2 tbsp red miso
- 150g soft tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
* Bonito flakes are fish flakes. This recipe is only classified 'vegetarian' without this ingredient.
Miso-enriched broth is an important part of a traditional Japanese breakfast. Kombu - dried deep-sea kelp - and red miso can be bought from Asian food stores, although some types of red miso are available at supermarkets, as are bonito flakes.
Method
Preheat oven to 220C. Toss sweet potato with soy and sake. Transfer to a baking tray, drizzle with a little oil and roast for 10 minutes, until soft and brown. Place in four bowls. Put the kombu and water in a saucepan and stand for 10 minutes. Heat until the water is just about to simmer. Sprinkle with the bonito flakes and remove from heat. Once the flakes have sunk, pour through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan, discarding flakes and kombu. Return to heat. Mix a ladleful of stock with miso to soften it, then stir into the saucepan. Divide tofu and chives between bowls and pour soup over the top.
Serves 4
