Miso Soup with Zucchini

Fall is here and the day is getting shorter and colder. Soon, we all know that winter will be more and so on. All I can think of is making a pot of hot and comforting soup. When I checked my pantry and fridge, I found that I had ingredients readily available for a Japanese miso soup.

Traditionally, bonito flakes (fish flakes) are usually used to make the broth in addition to miso paste. However, I use dashi to make the broth to save time. Dashi is an instant Japanese fish stock that is made from kelp and/or fish shavings. It is salty and contributes to umami taste. In case if you want to make a vegetarian style miso soup, then, you can omit dashi and replace with vegetable stock or kelp stock. You can get dried kelp from Japanese or Korean grocery stores. Simply rinse the kelp and boil in a pot of water to make the stock.

There are two types of miso: red and white. Red miso has a much more stronger taste while white miso is sweeter and delicate. When making soup with miso paste, you need to ensure the soup is simmered instead of rolling boiled to retain its flavour.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.25 L water
• 1 1/2 tsp dashi 
• 1 1/2 tbsp wakame seaweed
• 1 1/2 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 pack (300 g) silken tofu
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced diagonally
• 1 green onion, chopped finely

 METHOD: 

1. In a pot, boil water and add in dashi. Turn the heat to low
2. Cut tofu into small cubes. Add in the wakame seaweed and tofu
3. In a small bowl, mix miso paste with a ladle of hot broth. Whisk until dissolved
4. Slowly stir in the miso slurry into the pot
5. Add in zucchini slices and cook under low heat for another 5 minutes
6. Serve hot and garnish with green onion

Salmon with Ginger Infused Teriyaki Glaze

When it comes to making an order at Japanese restaurants, I am always torn between 2 things. Should I order a combo of sushi and sashimi or a teriyaki dish? I love them both yet I won't be able to finish these 2 set of orders. In the end, I always ended up with a bento box as I can get a combination of few pieces of sushi and sashimi and a teriyaki chicken, beef or salmon. 

What makes teriyaki so special? It has a perfect balance of sweet and salty with a hint of ginger. Most of the time, I get disappointment with store-bought teriyaki sauces or glazes. They lack in flavour, overly sweet and thick. Not to mention, they can be expensive as well. You get a bottle from a price range of $2.99 to 5.99 but trust me, if you make your own, you can make plenty of teriyaki sauce with less than 6 dollars. It all takes soy sauce, mirin (Japanese sweet seasoning sauce), ginger, sugar and sake (optional). If you want to make a glaze, you can thicken it with corn starch. Mirin can be easily found in Asian groceries or Asian aisle in local grocery stores such as Loblaws and Canadian Superstore.

Ever since the birth of my son, time has become so valuable that I need to look for simple recipes that do not require hours of cooking in the kitchen. One note though, simple cooking does not mean letting go of flavours. I cannot look further than making a salmon teriyaki. It is simple, fast and easy to make for dinner. This is my version of salmon with teriyaki glaze packed with ginger flavour. I serve it with a bed of stir-fried celery, carrots, zucchinis and onions. You can substitute with your favourite vegetables.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 2 but the teriyaki glaze is enough for 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pieces of salmon fillet or your favourite fish
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Green onion and sesame seeds for garnishing

To make teriyaki glaze:

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake (optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar or brown sugar
• thumb size ginger, sliced
• 1 tbsp corn starch and enough water to make a slurry

For vegetables:

• 1 stalk of celery, sliced diagonally
• 1 zucchini, sliced diagonally
• 1 onion, sliced diagonally
• 1 carrot, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

 METHOD: 

1. In a non-stick pan, heat up 1 tbsp cooking oil. Season salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Please note, teriyaki glaze has enough sodium so do not oversalt your salmon
2. Pan fry salmon for 6 minutes each side. Set aside
3. To make teriyaki glaze: In a small saucepan, combine all teriyaki glaze ingredients with the exception of corn starch. Bring to boil and change to low heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add in the corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce. Stir and set aside
4. For vegetables: In a pan, heat up 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add in onion slices and cook until brown. Stir in all vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Again, do not oversalt your vegetables. Saute for 5 minutes. Set aside
5.  On a plate, place the vegetables at the bottom followed with salmon fillet. serve warm and drizzle with teriyaki glaze. You can garnish with sesame seeds and green onion