But all that aside, there is something appropriate about a few days of meagre eating after a big blowout. Throw out the fats and oils, embrace whole grains, fruits and water. The system benefits from a rest and the mind is comforted after the dyspepsia of festive feasting.
Miso soup is one of those foods that soothes and relieves over indulgence anxiety, and it's so easy to make that it's barely more difficult than one of those fancy high caffeine espressos that are normally knocked back two or three times a day (in this house anyway!).
Make a little stock with a carrot, some kombu, perhaps a small piece of celery or leek. A slice of fresh ginger can be added sometimes for variation if you like it. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes or so, then allow to cool in the pan before straining out the vegetables.
Finely chop your soup additions. I had a bit of roasted pumpkin to hand and a baby leek, but you might prefer some shreds of mooli radish or some carrot flowers or even a few leaves of baby spinach and spring onion. If you like a few tiny cubes of soft tofu will make a nice addition. The idea is to garnish the soup with something pretty and tasty but not to fill your bowl with it.
Dissolve a big tablespoon of your favourite rich miso in a couple of spoonfuls of the cool stock and keep to one side. This makes it easier to mix in at the end.
Bring your stock back to a simmer, add your garnishes and cook just long enough to take away the rawness. Then turn off the heat and stir in the diluted miso.
Eat immediately. The picture doesn't do it justice (and I'm having some camera troubles which don't help)
5 comments:
Mmm, miso. I've never really got into all the different varieties you can apparently buy. I always buy random ones. Do you know what sort you prefer?!
I find plenty of toasted sesame seeds and very finely minced (i.e. through the tiniest holes on a grater) mooli, used as seasoning/garnish, will make a decent miso soup into something amazing.
i agree about detox. there is only a point in it if you kept on treating the body like a temple afterwards! i am having a month off wine and trying to eat more healthily but no way am i giving up tea!
Happy New Year COS!
Was listening to an article on this on the radio today. All a fad I reckon!
Hope 2009 is a great one for you.
Cheers
David
Hi AVCB,
There is a bit of conflict in the house, I prefer mugi miso (made with soy and barley) Mr. S-C chooses hatcho (just soy bean) miso. This soup was made with mugi miso. A bit of research suggests that neither is prevalent in Japan where 80% of miso sold is apparently rice miso.
We've never managed to totally embrace the sweeter white misos, something to be explored again.
Sesame seeds are brilliant.
Joker, keep up the good work. Maybe next month for me ;-)
Hi David,
Happy New Year to you too. My attempts at detox are somewhat faltering but next week will be a week of puritan austerity I'm sure when we all go back to work.
Here's to the future!
I'm reading the book "In Defense of Food," which just gets my dander up at nutrition guidelines and the food industry.
I will have to check out Junkfood Science as well. Thanks for the post.
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