Chicken Miso Soup

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, known in Japanese as kōji (麹), and sometimes rice, barley, or other ingredients. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup called misoshiru (味噌汁), a Japanese culinary staple. High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, miso played an important nutritional role in feudal Japan. Miso is still widely used in Japan, both in traditional and modern cooking, and has been gaining worldwide interest.
Miso is typically salty, but its flavor and aroma depend on various factors in the ingredients and fermentation process. Different varieties of miso have been described as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, and savory. The traditional Chinese analogue of miso is known as dòujiàng (豆酱).

 

What you need:

• 5cm piece fresh root ginger, chopped
  
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• pinch of crushed chillies
• 3 tbsp red miso paste
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 200g fine egg or rice noodles
• 250 gr chicken thighs, thinly sliced
• 125g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 70g baby sweetcorn, chopped
• 200g sugar-snap peas

How to prepare it:

1. Make the saucepan greacy with oil and heat over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and stir-fry for 1 minute.
2. Add 1,7 litres boiling water and bring to a simmer. Stir in the miso paste, lime juice and noodles and cook for 1 minute. Cover and set aside.
3. Greace a large wok with oil and stir-fry the chicken, mushrooms and sweetcorn for 2-3 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Transfer the soup to the bowls, spoon over the vegetables and chicken and enjoy.