Chef David's Miso Soup

Along with sushi and tempura, Miso soup is probably among the most widely known Japanese dishes in the world. In Japan, most people eat this nourishing soup at least once a day. The ingredients in miso soup, or Misoshiru, can vary according to the taste of the individual, but Japanese custom dictates that there be a variety of contasting colors, flavors and textures: some ingredients should float and some should sink.

A Japanese chef friend once confided that the secret of his flavorful miso soup was in his blend of both white and red miso paste. The red miso, he said, gave it a little extra flavor.