Kyoto-style miso soup
Kyoto-style Miso
We have a word, haru-gasumi ('spring haze' in English), which describes one of the delicate aspects of spring in Japan. In this season the landscape becomes a haze of pastel colours and the spring breezes are warm and gentle. Kyoto is painted in the pink of sakura (cherry blossoms), the light green of newborn buds and sprouting spring plants; these are the colours of haru-gasumi. I love spring for these reasons.
Kyoto-style miso (soybean paste) soup is very much a spring dish. If this soup is served with tofu, yuba (soy milk skin) or namafu (fresh wheat gluten) and some spring vegetables or clams, it is the perfect spring soup.
Kyoto miso is sweeter, milder and smoother than the other kinds of Japanese miso. Its colour is creamy beige. Made with fermented rice, it has a mild and natural sweetness. We use this miso not only for soup dishes, but also on grilled and simmered dishes, in salad dressings and as a marinating sauce.
Kyoto is painted in the pink of sakura (cherry blossoms), the light green of newborn buds and sprouting spring plants; these are the colours of haru-gasumi.
Strawberry sake-lees and tofu mousse
A Taste of Spring: a Taste of Tofu
Here are a couple of dishes and desserts using tofu (or soybean products).
How delicious tofu is! The flavour is not strong, but mild and modest. It is nutritious and is high in protein. It is best to enjoy its delicate taste simply but sometimes you can taste a duo or trio of other flavours because tofu can play second string to many other ingredients. Thick tofu dressing also harmonises well with other ingredients. The combination of fuki (butterbur) and yuba (soy milk skin) is aromatic. Soy milk makes goma-dofu (sesame tofu) lighter and smoother. This sake-lees mousse is mild with silk tofu. The taste of tofu feels like gentle spring air!
- Haru no shira-ae: broad beans and spinach salad with thick tofu dressing
- Fuki no yuba maki: fuki wrapped with soy milk skin
- Strawberry flavoured sake-lees and tofu mousse
- Soy milk and sesame-tofu
Udo plant
Spring Flavours: Enjoy Bitter with Sweet
In spring it's good to combine bitterness with sweet flavours. Spring vegetables are all a little bitter, which encapsulates the vital energy of the buds, sprouts and shoots. This is the essence of spring.
Fuki (butterbur), nanohana (rape blossoms), udo (a fragrant plant related to ginseng), broad beans, and green peas all have their own sweet flavours with a subtle bitterness.
Kinome (the baby leaves from sansho – Japanese pepper) is the best garnish for spring dishes and udo also has a distinct flavour; they are both aromatic ingredients. Please enjoy these spring specials as the window of opportunity is very short!
- Udo, a fragrant plant related to ginseng
- Spring vegetables: nanohana, udo and green peas
- Nanohana no ohitashi: soused green salad
- Kinome: baby leaves from sansho pepper
- Dengaku: grilled namafu (wheat gluten) with kinome miso paste
- Endo-mame gohan: cooked rice with green peas
Kyoto Uzuki Cooking
Born and raised in Kyoto, Emi shares her love of Japanese cooking with visitors in her home. Please visit Kyoto Uzuki Cooking for more information.
