Miso Soup with Komatsuna and Enoki
みそ汁（小松菜・えのき） · Misoshiru (Komatsuna, Enoki)
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 komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach, a mild leafy green) with slender enoki mushrooms. Both are cut short so they are easy for small children to scoop up with a spoon and chew. Simmering the enoki in the dashi gives the broth a soft, savory depth, while the komatsuna keeps its bright green color when it is blanched separately and stirred in at the very end.
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 gkomatsunaA mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- 7.5 genoki mushroomsLong, thin, white mushrooms with tiny caps sold in a bunch, with a mild flavor and slight crunch. Substitute: Thinly sliced button mushrooms.
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
- komatsuna (こまつな)
- A mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- enoki mushrooms (えのきたけ)
- Long, thin, white mushrooms with tiny caps sold in a bunch, with a mild flavor and slight crunch. Substitute: Thinly sliced button mushrooms.
- 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 komatsuna into 2 cm pieces and boil in hot water for 5 minutes. (Blanching it separately keeps the color bright, but if that is too much trouble, you can simmer it in the soup with everything else.)
- 2
Cut the enoki mushrooms into 2 cm lengths.
- 3
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the enoki, and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- 4
Dissolve the miso into the soup, then add the komatsuna from step 1 and stir to combine.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 16.5 kcal | 33 kcal | 16.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.7 g | 5.4 g | 2.7 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 48 mg | 96 mg | 48 mg |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | 1.8 mg | 0.9 mg |
| Potassium | 249 mg | 498 mg | 249 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 16.5 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.3 g | 2.7 g | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | 48 mg | 0.9 mg | 249 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 33 kcal | 3 g | 0.6 g | 5.4 g | 1.8 g | 1.5 g | 96 mg | 1.8 mg | 498 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.
