This recipe was inspired by an Okinawan soup recipe made for us by Kae Izena, who owns a cooking school on Okinawa. Mushrooms are a prized ingredient on the island since they add a deep, umami flavor to dishes, and dried varieties are even beautifully wrapped and given as gifts. They are incredibly low in calories and high in protein, antioxidants, and vitamin D.
1 small onion or 3⁄4 cup leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 cups shiitake mushrooms (or use 1⁄2 cup each of shiitake, enoki, and shimeji mushrooms)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cups plain soy milk
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon miso paste
In a large pot, stir-fry the onion in the vegetable oil with a dash of salt until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and continue sautéing until soft.
Add the ginger, soy milk, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and stir in the miso before serving.
The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. The Blue Zones’ food tradition is going the way of the dodo bird, thanks to the encroachment of the American Food Culture.
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