Japanese Kabocha Comfort Soup

A warming, nourishing soup with ginger and miso.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2 inches ginger, sliced thin
• 1/2 large kabocha, cut into large cubes about 1/2 - 1 inch thick
• Napa cabbage, chopped
• Miso paste (white or red)
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil

Optional Additions

• Vegetable or chicken stock
• Vegetable or chicken bouillon
• Mushrooms (any kind)
• Tofu
• Other veggies you like

Instructions

• Wash (2 inches) ginger and slice into thin pieces. Drizzle olive oil into a large pot and fry the ginger for a few minutes until fragrant.

• Add (1/2 large) kabocha cubes and cover with water (pre-boiling water in a kettle makes it faster). Add as much water as you would like for your soup. Simmer the kabocha until tender and you can poke through them with a fork. The water will turn slightly orange.

• If using stock or bouillon, add it now. Add chopped napa cabbage and cover. Simmer until the cabbage is to your liking (can be very tender and falling apart). Add any other veggies and cook until done.

• Add (3-5 tablespoons) soy sauce. Take a generous spoonful of miso and place it in a small sieve to break apart and dissolve into the soup. Once the miso is fully dissolved, taste for saltiness and adjust as needed.

• Finish with a dash of sesame oil before serving.

Notes

• The miso should be dissolved through a sieve to avoid clumps
• Adjust miso and soy sauce quantities to your taste preference
• Great with tofu for added protein