Miso Soup with Prawns and Pak Choi

A while ago I heard about miso, which is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soya beans and sometimes rice, barley and other ingredients. A jar of miso paste has been sitting in my fridge for a while so I decided to create something with it. Miso soup was not just easy and quick to make but very delicious too.

The fermentation technique is a way of preserving foods which is very popular in Lithuania. We would always have home made sauerkraut in the house which would last throughout cold and long winters. Mum and dad would buy loads of cabbage from local farmers and the whole family would get involved with chopping cabbages and grating carrots. It’s very popular to add some cranberries and caraway seeds into the sauerkraut too.

Fermented foods are very beneficial for our gut health and general wellbeing. It provides ‘good’ bacteria that contribute to a healthy digestive system. It also plays a part in helping the function of our immune system.

Miso is rich in essential minerals and a good source of various B vitamins, vitamin E, K and folic acid that are required for proper functioning of the human body.

Miso paste can be used not only for seasoning soups but for marinating fish or meat as well.

Ingredients – Serves 2

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed;
• half of a fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped;
• 3 cm piece of ginger;
• 200 g of peeled king prawns;
• 500 ml of vegetable stock;
• 40 g of pak choi;
• 60 g of sugar snap peas;
• 100 g of sweetcorn (frozen or tinned);
• 1 tablespoon of miso paste;
• handful of fresh coriander, chopped;
• half a teaspoon of lemon zest;
• a few slices of lemon.

Recipe Directions

1. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil, add the pak choi, sugar snaps and sweetcorn. Simmer for 3 minutes and remove from the heat and then stir in the miso paste.
2. While the stock is simmering, heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, chilli and prawns and cook for a few minutes, until prawns are cooked through and then transfer it into the stock.
3. Serve in a bowl topped with coriander leaves, lemon zest and a slice of lemon.

Enjoy!

Notes: