Miso Soup with Fu and Bok Choy
みそ汁（麩・チンゲン菜） · Misoshiru (Fu, Chingensai)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Fu is a light, spongy cake made from dried wheat gluten, and it is a classic miso soup ingredient in Japan. Once it soaks up the dashi it turns wonderfully soft, which makes it easy for even the youngest children to chew, and its mild flavor pairs nicely with sweet, tender bok choy. In preschool kitchens we boil the bok choy separately and add it just before serving so it keeps its color and does not turn mushy in the pot.
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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
- 3 gfu (dried wheat gluten cakes)Light, airy dried cakes made from wheat gluten that soak up broth like little sponges in soups. Substitute: Small cubes of bread or plain croutons, or omit.
- 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
- fu (dried wheat gluten cakes) (麩)
- Light, airy dried cakes made from wheat gluten that soak up broth like little sponges in soups. Substitute: Small cubes of bread or plain croutons, or omit.
- 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 pieces and boil until tender.
- 2
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the fu and simmer.
- 3
Once the fu 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 | 22.5 kcal | 45 kcal | 22.5 kcal |
| Protein | 2.1 g | 4.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.5 g | 6.9 g | 3.5 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 28.5 mg | 57 mg | 28.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 162 mg | 324 mg | 162 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 22.5 kcal | 2.1 g | 0.5 g | 3.5 g | 0.5 g | 0.8 g | 28.5 mg | 0.5 mg | 162 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 45 kcal | 4.2 g | 0.9 g | 6.9 g | 0.9 g | 1.5 g | 57 mg | 0.9 mg | 324 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.
