Miso Soup with Bok Choy and Atsuage
みそ汁（チンゲン菜・厚揚げ） · Misoshiru (Chingensai to Atsuage)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every preschool lunch in Japan, and the vegetables and protein in it change with the season and the rest of the menu. This version pairs tender bok choy with sweet, slowly simmered onion and cubes of atsuage, a thick block of deep-fried tofu that soaks up the dashi and gives children something soft and satisfying to chew. Blanching the bok choy separately keeps its bright green color, which makes the bowl look inviting to small eaters - though on a busy day it is perfectly fine to simmer everything together.
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
- 22.5 gbok choy
- 10.5 gonion
- 18 gatsuage (thick deep-fried tofu)A thick block of tofu deep-fried so the outside is golden while the inside stays soft and creamy. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried in a little oil 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
- atsuage (thick deep-fried tofu) (厚揚げ)
- A thick block of tofu deep-fried so the outside is golden while the inside stays soft and creamy. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried in a little oil 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 in hot water for 3 minutes. (Boiling it separately keeps its color bright, but if that is too much trouble, you can simmer it together with the rest of the soup.)
- 2
Slice the onion thinly and cut the slices in half so they are shorter. Pour boiling water over the atsuage to remove excess oil, then cut it into 1 cm cubes.
- 3
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and bring to a boil, then add the atsuage and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 4
Once the onion is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup, then add the bok choy from step 1 and stir to combine.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 40.5 kcal | 81 kcal | 40.5 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Fat | 2.4 g | 4.8 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g | 6 g | 3 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 76.5 mg | 153 mg | 76.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | 1.8 mg | 0.9 mg |
| Potassium | 207 mg | 414 mg | 207 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 40.5 kcal | 3.3 g | 2.4 g | 3 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 76.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 207 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 81 kcal | 6.6 g | 4.8 g | 6 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 153 mg | 1.8 mg | 414 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.
