The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips. If you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.
If you know me, you know I love food in a jar. I am a big fan of meal prep, so whatever I can cook and fit in a jar to freeze or save for later, I am a fan of. When I discovered I could put this tasty miso soup in a jar without compromising taste or texture, I was on board. Now, this is not authentic miso soup you’ll find in Japanese restaurants, as I couldn’t find any kombu seaweed in any of the three grocery stores I frequent (if you know of a great Asian supermarket in Abbotsford, let me know!). But it does contain miso paste, a lovely fermented ingredient that can be used in many soups, sauces, dressings, and marinades.
Cook Time: 20 minutes. Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms
5 oz. firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1 thumb freshly grated ginger
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/3 cup miso paste
8 oz. soba noodles
1/2 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Method:
- Bring your water and broth to a boil in a large pot then add the mushrooms, ginger, tamari or soy sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While this is cooking, prepare your soba noodles in another pot until just soft, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop them from overcooking.
- Scoop out 1 cup of the broth and dissolve the miso paste into the broth, stirring vigorously until it is all combined. Add your miso mixture back into the simmering broth.
- Add your broccoli and tofu and simmer for another five minutes or so until the broccoli is soft, but not mushy.
- Ladle your broth and veggies into two different jars, they should fill up a little over half of each jar. Divide your soba noodles into the two jars to float on top of the broth; they should not be submerged. Add your cucumbers and green onions on top of the noodles, and finish with a garnish of sesame seeds.
- Leave the jars uncovered while they cool, and store in the fridge for up to three days.
Image: Andrea Sadowski/The Cascade
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
