Hearty Miso Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup

I've been devouring lots of books on healthy Japanese and macrobiotic cooking. I'm gaining appreciation for freshly-prepared Japanese food. Homemade recipes that are nutritious, tasty and straightforward make it to the table in no time. A quick miso soup is part of many Japanese morning meals. It's great for lunch too. Miso is a complete protein that's high in antioxidants and vitamin B. It also strengthens the immune-system. This cozy bowl of comfort will have you rethinking miso soup.

Japanese Farm Food, by Nancy Singleton reads like a novel. She lives on a farm in rural Japan. Her recipes are minimal and direct.

My macrobiotic soup has a medley of mushrooms and wild rice. Leeks give it a lovely flavor, increasing the nutrition too. This hearty and healing bowl of miso soup is great in fall and winter when you're craving something hot and brothy. It's nice in early spring when leeks and scallions can brighten up our meals. You can even use leftover rice to prepare this recipe. It's an ideal first course for a Japanese inspired menu.
 

Barley or brown rice miso produces a soup with deep and savory flavors. The earthy mushrooms and wild rice work well with the dark miso, complimenting its richness. If you use precooked rice, the soup comes together in about ten minutes.

Hearty Miso Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Serves 2

Some Notes & Tips:

You can riff on this base recipe by adding grated fresh ginger and finely sliced kale or brussel sprouts to this soup, along with the mushrooms and leeks. Some cubes of quickly sauteed crispy tofu is nice on top too. If you can't find shiitake, regular white button mushrooms and/or cremini will work just fine. 

I use South River Three Year Barley Miso  for its delicious and hearty taste. I also love their Hearty Brown Rice Miso.  I find both of these products at Whole Foods Market.

Miso soup is very quick and easy to prepare. Just remember to take the pot off the heat before you stir in the miso paste. If you add it directly to the boiling water you will destroy the properties that are believed to have great health benefits. 

Miso paste should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Darker ones will keep up to a year. Check the sell-by date on the container. Always use a clean tablespoon when measuring your miso. 

To view more of my Japanese/macrobiotic recipe click here.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of barley miso or brown rice miso. I use South River Brand (see notes for information). 
• 1 cup of diced mushrooms. I use a blend such as cremini, shiitake and white button mushrooms. 
• 1 small leek, dice the white light green parts (one cup of diced leeks) 
• A 1/2 cup of cooked wild rice, wild rice blend or brown rice. I use Lundberg Wild Blend Rice in this recipe.

To Serve: A few drops of toasted sesame oil or Asian sesame oil, diced scallions

Instructions

Place the leeks, mushrooms and two cups of water in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the leeks and mushrooms are tender (about 8-10 minutes). Halfway through the cooking time, stir in the cooked rice. Once the leeks and mushrooms are done, take the pot off the heat. Stir in the miso until it has dissolved. Use the back of your spoon to press the miso paste on the side of the pot to help incorporate and dissolve it into the water. Serve the soup with a sprinkle of diced scallions and a drop or two of toasted sesame oil.

Bon Appetit & Blessings!

xx ~ Jilly