Miso Soup with Bamboo Shoots and Wakame
みそ汁（たけのこ・わかめ） · Takenoko to Wakame no Misoshiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Bamboo shoots and wakame are a classic spring pairing in Japan, and this simple miso soup shows off both of them. The bamboo shoots are cut into thin rectangles so they cook through and are easy for little ones to chew, while the wakame is chopped small so it does not tangle on a spoon. Gently simmered in bonito and kombu dashi with a modest amount of light rice miso, it is a mild, comforting bowl that children take to readily at lunchtime.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 0.5 gdried cut wakameSmall pieces of dried wakame seaweed that rehydrate in a few minutes and are used in soups and salads. Substitute: Any dried seaweed for soup, or omit.
- 22.5 gboiled bamboo shootsPre-cooked bamboo shoots, sold in vacuum packs or cans. Substitute: Canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained.
Seasonings
- 180 gbonito and kombu dashiJapanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- 7.2 glight rice misoA pale, salty rice miso, the standard everyday miso in Japan. Substitute: Any light, white, or awase (blended) miso.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- dried cut wakame (カットわかめ)
- Small pieces of dried wakame seaweed that rehydrate in a few minutes and are used in soups and salads. Substitute: Any dried seaweed for soup, or omit.
- boiled bamboo shoots (たけのこ（ゆで）)
- Pre-cooked bamboo shoots, sold in vacuum packs or cans. Substitute: Canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained.
- bonito and kombu dashi (かつお・昆布だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- light rice miso (米みそ（淡色辛みそ）)
- A pale, salty rice miso, the standard everyday miso in Japan. Substitute: Any light, white, or awase (blended) miso.
Directions
- 1
Cut the bamboo shoots into thin rectangles (tanzaku). Soak the wakame in water to rehydrate it, then chop it finely.
- 2
Bring the dashi to a boil in a pot and simmer the ingredients from step 1. Once they are tender, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 24 kcal | 48 kcal | 24 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g | 4.8 g | 2.4 g |
| Fat | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.7 g | 5.4 g | 2.7 g |
| Salt equivalent | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Calcium | 21 mg | 42 mg | 21 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 24 kcal | 2.4 g | 0.6 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g | 21 mg | 0.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 48 kcal | 4.8 g | 1.2 g | 5.4 g | 2.7 g | 42 mg | 0.9 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
