Daikon and Fried Tofu Miso Soup

1. Before we start... You can use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi. Here, I use a dashi packet.
2. Gather all the ingredients.
3. Peel 1 inch daikon radish. Slice the daikon into rounds about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
4. Stack the sliced rounds, then cut down the middle to make half moons. Rotate the stack 90 degrees, then slice ¼ inch (6 mm) thick to make short sticks.
5. In a saucepan, put 3 cups water and 1 dashi packet. Add the daikon sticks and bring it to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat.
6. Meanwhile, cut 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) in half lengthwise. Then, slice it crosswise into ¼-inch (6-mm) strips. Tip: If you like to remove excess oil from the tofu pouch, you can either pour boiling water over the tofu pouch in a sieve over the sink or quickly blanch in boiling water in a small pot for 15 seconds (flipping 1–2 times).
7. Cut 1 green onion/scallion crosswise into thin rounds. Set aside for garnish.
8. Once the soup is boiling, shake the dashi packet to release more flavor. Lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until the daikon is cooked through, about 15–20 minutes. After 4–5 minutes of boiling the dashi packet, discard the dashi packet.
9. After 15 minutes of cooking, check if the daikon is cooked through by inserting a skewer or fork. When the daikon is tender, add the aburaage and cook for a minute or two.
10. Turn off the heat and add 3 Tbsp miso. Taste the soup and add more miso if needed. If it‘s too salty, add water or dashi (if you have any) to dilute.

To Serve

1. Serve the hot miso soup in individual bowls. Garnish with the chopped green onions. Enjoy!

To Store

1. It‘s best to consume miso soup right away because the miso loses its aroma and taste as time passes. Let the soup cool to room temperature (up to 4 hours; any longer and it will spoil) and then refrigerate for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you could refrigerate the soup without adding the miso. When ready to use, add the miso only for the portion you will consume. You can freeze miso soup for up to 2 weeks.