Hello! I have been using miso to boost my immune system. I was eating miso soup or other miso dishes almost every day when I lived in Japan. My miso intake reduced since I moved here, but I started to eat miso dishes every day to prevent illness.
Today I am going to introduce this delicious immune-boosting soup (contain garlic and ginger as well!). Japanese fusion miso soup ? Because I sautéed many vegetables with olive oil!
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Everyone knows that miso is a fermented food and is a natural source of probiotics. Miso is made from fermented soybeans, rice, or barley (or mix such as soybeans and rice) with salt and koji (Asperfilus oryzae fungus).
Why miso is good for your immune system?
Miso contains good bacteria (probiotics), protein (especially soybean miso), fibers, minerals like zinc and manganese, vitamin Bs, and antioxidants. Especially Melanodins, chemical compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
I grew up with a traditional Japanese breakfast (continental breakfast on Sat and Sun!!) and had to eat miso soup every morning. My mother told us that miso soup is a superfood to prevent illness. Also, I learned how miso or other fermented foods like soy sauce (or tamari), ume pickled plum, natto (fermented sticky and stinky soybeans), and other fermented foods help keep or improve our health in the home. Some Japanese avoid miso because it is high in sodium, but if you eat with seaweed, minerals from seaweed help remove unnecessary sodium from the body.
Now COVID19 is spreading in Japan, and people buy fermented foods like miso and natto to prevent illness because we believe miso help our immune system strong.
I use miso for my soup, dressing, pan-fried or roasted vegetables, and dessert.
Please check the soup recipe below!
It takes a bit of time to cut all vegetables, but it is worth to make it because it is so healthy and delicious!
Vegan Miso Soup
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1.5 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped asparagus
8 Brussel sprouts, cut in half or into quarters
1.5 cup broccoli, cut up (use stem too) - cut off the bottom 1-2 inches, which can be quite tough and woody.
8 chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup diced tomato
1 cup cooked kidney beans
2-3 Tablespoons Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 Tablespoons white miso pastes (or red miso) - I use rice miso.
10-12 cups water
One 12-inch long piece of kombu (kelp), wiped with a damp cloth. Kombu contains a lot of minerals.
2 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Turn heat down to medium and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring for a few minutes.
2. Add carrot, celery, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes until tender. Add kidney beans and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms, and water. Simmer over medium-low heat about 10 minutes tomato. Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Please don't discard the kombu. Cut into small pieces of both kombu and shiitake mushrooms and put them back in the soup.
5. Add miso pastes and whisk until miso paste is completely dissolved. Simmer for 30 seconds. Taste the soup and if you need more salt, add miso pastes.
