Miso Soup with Bok Choy and Aburaage
みそ汁（チンゲン菜・油揚げ） · Chingensai to Aburaage no Misoshiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese school lunch, and the vegetables in it change with the season and whatever is on hand. This version pairs bok choy, which turns soft and mild once boiled, with aburaage, the thin fried tofu pouches that soak up the dashi and add a little richness kids love. Blanching the bok choy separately and stirring it in just before serving keeps its color bright and its texture tender rather than mushy, and pouring hot water over the aburaage first rinses off excess oil so the soup stays light and clean-tasting.
Wheat-free, but uses miso (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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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
- 18 gbok choy
- 3 gaburaage (fried tofu pouch)Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
Seasonings
- 150 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 4.5 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- aburaage (fried tofu pouch) (油揚げ)
- Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
Directions
- 1
Cut the bok choy into 2 cm wide pieces and boil until tender.
- 2
Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil, then cut it into short, thin strips.
- 3
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the aburaage from step 2, and simmer.
- 4
Once the aburaage is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup, then add the bok choy from step 1 just before serving.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 24 kcal | 48 kcal | 24 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g | 3.9 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.8 g | 3.6 g | 1.8 g |
| Fiber | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 36 mg | 72 mg | 36 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 160.5 mg | 321 mg | 160.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 24 kcal | 2 g | 1.4 g | 1.8 g | 0.3 g | 0.8 g | 36 mg | 0.5 mg | 160.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 48 kcal | 3.9 g | 2.7 g | 3.6 g | 0.6 g | 1.5 g | 72 mg | 0.9 mg | 321 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.
