Blender Blow-Out
The photos in this post are historical documents of a sort. They are witness the end of an era. You might see, if you look closely, teeny-tiny bits of cashew in the soup. That’s because of a tragic case of blending-interruptus. During the blending of the garlic-miso ingredients, my beloved Vitamix made a terrible noise. A bitter, metallic smell and a puff of smoke wafted out from the base. I knew this moment had been coming for some time, but still. It was sad to see the old girl finally expire. She performed admirably for about nine years of almost daily use. R.I.P. my partner in cooking crime. UPDATE: It wasn’t the blender motor – – it was the container! A brand new container fixed the issue and we are back in blending business!
And A Flavorful Food Bomb
Now about that garlic-miso bomb. Missing two of my favorite soups from two different restaurants in Tulsa, I was compelled to figure out how the chefs created such rich, creamy, and flavorful miso soups. Although it might not be their answer, my answer was cashews. As they usually are when luscious creaminess is desired.
You can get this soup on the table very quickly. I typically get the cashews, garlic, miso soaking in the morning, then blend them right before preparing the soup itself. I almost always have baked tofu on hand, along with pre-cooked Asian noodles that only require 90 seconds in the microwave. Add in whatever greens or veggies on hand and a satisfying lunch or dinner is done.
Garlic-Miso Bomb Noodle Soup. Oil-free. Gluten-free Option.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Restaurant miso soup you can make quickly and easily in your own kitchen. No oil, and you can make it gluten-free by using GF noodles or brown rice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup raw cashew pieces
- 2.5 Tbsp. white miso paste
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled
- 1/2 Tbsp. liquid aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces, cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups packed, chopped Swiss chard or spinach
- 1 7.1-ounce package pre-cooked stir-fry or udon noodles (I like Kame Express Udon Noodles)
Topping suggestions:
- Cilantro
- Smoky, spicy baked tofu cubes or planks
- Roasted red pepper
- Lime juice
- sesame seeds
- avocado
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, pour the hot water over the cashews, miso paste, garlic, ginger root, and onion powder. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak for a few hours.
- Blend the cashew-miso mixture until very smooth, then set aside.
- I cook the greens separately prior to making the soup, but with very tender greens that are chopped well, you could just stir them into the soup until wilted.
- In a medium-sized pot, saute the sliced onions and mushrooms in a healthy splash of vegetable broth or water until tender.
- Pour in the 3 cups vegetable broth. If you’re cooking the greens (or any vegetables that need some cooking) in the soup, add them now. When they’re nicely wilted, stir in the blended garlic-miso mixture. Taste and add more miso, tamari, black pepper, chile paste – to taste.
- Heat the noodles and divide them between two deep soup bowls. Divide the broth/greens/vegetables between the bowls, then top with your favorite fixings.
Notes
Choose gluten-free noodles to make this GF-friendly.
Keywords: soup, Asian soup, noodles, cilantro, miso, garlic, easy, dinner, lunch, main dish
COMING UP NEXT:
RECIPE THROWBACK, APRIL 2012: