Adzuki Bean Miso Soup
This dish is quick if you have the beans already cooked, or from a can. I made this with a mild miso and very little veggie (from powder) stock as I was concerned about saltiness - but it was fine.
This dish is quick if you have the beans already cooked, or from a can. I made this with a mild miso and very little veggie (from powder) stock as I was concerned about saltiness - but it was fine.
- Carbohydrate 51.97109 g
- Cholesterol 0.234 mg
- Fat 2.9116164559111 g
- Fiber 14.6946002977192 g
- Protein 15.270775 g
- Saturated Fat 0.414959973977852 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (365g)
- Sodium 592.0885 mg
- Sugar 37.2764897022807 g
- Trans Fat 0.237860119868438 g
- Calories 288 calories
Step-by-step
- In a 4-quart heavy saucepan bring water to a boil and add bouillon cubes, stirring until dissolved. Add beans and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
- In a heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until it just begins to smoke and stir-fry carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir carrots into soup.
- In a small bowl stir together miso and 1/2 cup hot broth until combined will and stir into soup. Bring soup just to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in scallions and pepper to taste.
Heating live fermented soy pastes above 85 degrees Celsius destroys their delicate probiotic bacteria and degrades volatile aromatic compounds that provide deep umami. Traditional Japanese broth-making relies on strict thermal management to prevent miso from boiling, which separates the proteins and creates a grainy texture rather than a smooth suspension. When water reaches a rolling boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, dissolving bouillon establishes the base before beans simmer for 15 minutes to absorb sodium without bursting their skins.
Assessing doneness visually ensures carrots achieve a crisp-tender bite without degrading into mush. Slicing root vegetables diagonally into 1/16-inch-thick pieces maximizes surface area contact during a three-minute high-heat stir-fry in oil that just begins to smoke at roughly 204 degrees Celsius. While adzuki beans trace their dietary roots back centuries across East Asia as a prized staple valued for dense plant-based protein and high dietary fiber content, modern execution demands precise sensory checks. Removing the skillet from the heat source the exact moment the carrots yield slightly to pressure yet retain vibrant pigmentation prevents overcooking.
Tempering the white miso paste requires whisking it with 1/2 cup of hot broth in a separate small bowl before incorporating it into the main pot. Substituting red or dark miso changes the salinity profile significantly, requiring a 1:1 ratio adjustment by volume, though darker varieties demand closer temperature monitoring since they contain higher sodium levels that alter boiling points slightly.
