Miso Soup with Daikon and Bok Choy
みそ汁（大根・チンゲン菜） · Misoshiru (Daikon, Chingensai)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese school lunch, and this version pairs sweet, soft-simmered daikon radish with bright green bok choy. The daikon is cut into thick quarter-rounds so it turns tender and juicy in the dashi without falling apart, while the bok choy is cooked separately and stirred in just before serving so it keeps its color and a little bite. It is a mild, comforting bowl that even small children can manage easily with a spoon.
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
- 30 gdaikon radish
- 18 gbok choy
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
- 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 daikon radish into thick quarter-rounds (ichogiri: slice into rounds, then cut each round into quarters).
- 2
Cut the bok choy into 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) wide pieces and boil until tender.
- 3
Put the dashi stock and daikon in a pot and simmer.
- 4
When the daikon is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup, then add the bok choy from step 2 just before serving.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 16.5 kcal | 33 kcal | 16.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 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 | 34.5 mg | 69 mg | 34.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 226.5 mg | 453 mg | 226.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 16.5 kcal | 1.4 g | 0.3 g | 3 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 34.5 mg | 0.3 mg | 226.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 33 kcal | 2.7 g | 0.6 g | 6 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 69 mg | 0.6 mg | 453 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.
