The classic Japanese miso soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1.5 litres dashi (see below) or shiitake soaking water (see below)
4 Clearspring Shiitake or Maitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced
150g chopped kale, or spring greens
1 large carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3-4 tablespoons Clearspring Organic Barley, Organic Hatcho or Organic Brown Rice Miso, to taste

Method:
1. Bring the liquid and mushrooms to a boil in a medium sized pan, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Add the greens and carrot and simmer until they are tender. Turn off the heat.

3. In a bowl, dilute the miso in a little bit of broth, then add it to the soup. Allow the flavour to mingle briefly before serving.

Dashi:
To prepare a basic dashi, soak two 15cm pieces of Clearspring Kombu and three dried shiitake or maitake mushrooms in about 2 litres of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and thinly slice the caps. Then return them to the water, bring it to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the kombu and keep it to use for cooking as a condiment or with beans.

Cooking with Shiitake:
Cover the mushrooms in lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes. Once rehydrated, remove and discard any stems and thinly slice the caps. Use with their soaking water for superb soups, stews and sauces, or add the sliced mushrooms to stir-fries, fried rice or noodles, or casseroles.

Tip: Try adding a sprinkling of Clearspring's Instant Wakame Flakes just before serving.

Recipe from The Real Taste of Japan