Miso Soup with Eggplant and Atsuage
みそ汁（なす・厚揚げ） · Nasu to Atsuage no Misoshiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
This is a simple everyday miso soup built around eggplant and atsuage, the thick, golden-skinned deep-fried tofu you will find in any Japanese supermarket. Simmered in dashi, the eggplant turns silky and the onion melts into sweetness, while the atsuage soaks up the broth and gives little ones something satisfying to chew. Peeling the eggplant in stripes keeps just enough skin for color without leaving tough pieces that toddlers tend to spit out.
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 geggplant
- 15 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
Peel the eggplant in alternating stripes and cut it into quarter-rounds (ichō-giri). Pour boiling water over the atsuage to remove excess oil, then cut it into 1.5 cm cubes.
- 2
Halve the onion crosswise and slice it thinly.
- 3
Put the dashi stock and the onion from step 2 in a pot and bring to a boil, then add the eggplant and atsuage from step 1 and simmer.
- 4
Once the vegetables are tender, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 43.5 kcal | 87 kcal | 43.5 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Fat | 2.4 g | 4.8 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.8 g | 7.5 g | 3.8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 58.5 mg | 117 mg | 58.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Potassium | 193.5 mg | 387 mg | 193.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 43.5 kcal | 3.3 g | 2.4 g | 3.8 g | 1 g | 0.8 g | 58.5 mg | 0.6 mg | 193.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 87 kcal | 6.6 g | 4.8 g | 7.5 g | 2.1 g | 1.5 g | 117 mg | 1.2 mg | 387 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.
