Step 1 of 8
Make the dashi. Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp cloth (don't wash off the white powder — that's flavour). Submerge in cold water in a saucepan. Soak 30 minutes if you have time.
Step 2 of 8
Set the saucepan over medium heat. Bring slowly to just below boiling — you should see bubbles forming on the kombu, not the surface. Pull the kombu out *before* the boil. If it boils with the kombu in it, the broth turns slimy.
Step 3 of 8
Bring the kombu-water to a gentle boil. Add the katsuobushi. Off heat immediately. Steep 4 minutes.
Step 4 of 8
Strain through a fine sieve lined with cloth. The result — a clear amber broth — is *ichiban dashi* (first dashi). Don't discard the bonito flakes; they make *niban dashi* (second dashi) for cooking rice.
Step 5 of 8
Return the dashi to the saucepan. Heat to just below a simmer.
Step 6 of 8
In a small bowl, whisk the miso paste with a ladle of warm dashi until smooth. Whisk back into the pot. Never boil miso — it turns flat and the colour goes grey.
Step 7 of 8
Add tofu cubes and wakame. Heat through 60 seconds. Do not boil.
Step 8 of 8
Ladle into bowls. Scatter scallions. Serve immediately.
Ingredients 7
the dashi
- 10 g kombu (dried kelp)
- 20 g katsuobushi (smoked, dried, shaved bonito)
- 1 L cold water
the soup
- 3 tbsp shiro miso (white miso paste)
- 200 g silken tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
the finish
- 2 scallions, finely sliced (green and white)