Tuesday 28 June 2011

Rocket and Roses White Miso, Garlic and Chickpea Soup

Kitchen Play List:   Jennifer Lopez ~ Que Hiciste
                                       Jorge Ben ~ Oba La Wem Ela
                                       Bing Crosby ~ Well Did Ya Evah?
                                       Louis Armstrong ~ What a Wonderful World
                                       Alanis Morrisette ~ Let's Do It?
                                       Shakira ~ Estoy Aqui

Miso....One of those foods that I knew I should like it because of the health benefits it provides but I just couldn't get my head around it enough to even try it...strange eh? I love soy in all of it's other forms. 

I bought a packet of white miso from our local wholefood shop..and for those in the States please do not for one second imagine we are lucky enough here to have a chain like Wholefoods...lucky you though! lol..No, our lovely little whole food shop is called Grain and is in the nearest city to us. And believe me when I say...four of you in this shop and you are bumping elbows. Tiny! But it's what we have and we make good use of it and try and support them when we can. The guy who runs it Scott is a lovely chap. Anyway I bought this packet of miso probably 6 months ago and in my stores it sat. I kept moving it about and looking at it and promising myself I would use it soon. 

I finally opened it for a sunday brunch dish of Miso-Tahini Sauce to go with Marinated Grilled Asparagus in a Tofu Omelette. Then the leftover miso got stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It has an amazing long shelf life. Freaky! lol

I hadn't got a soup for my lunch today and I needed one in a hurry as I was half way through eating my lunch salad. And I look forward and need  my soups. For some reason the miso and spring onions sat in my fridge kept popping into my mind. And yes...my old faithful...chickpeas...but not the regular size but my favourite jumbo kind. So salad abandoned, I found myself throwing things into a pot and when finished sat back down at my desk to finish my salad.

The aroma that came from the stove top was so overwhelming that it knocked out the smell of a Lotus incense stick I had burnt that morning. lol. But it was mouth watering. I remembered reading in one of my cookbooks that miso shouldn't be boiled so it was the perfect time to dish myself a bowl of it. 

It's savoury and aromatic...it's brothy and yet with the chickpeas it isn't! lol. It's a delight and I am so happy with this creation. lol. I'm really looking forward to having more of it tomorrow. I'm mystified that I never tried it before today...lol Ah well...I know better now. 

Rocket and Roses White Miso, Garlic and Chickpea Soup


 Rocket and Roses White Miso, Garlic and Chickpea Soup
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Vegan Kitchen)

2 1/2 pints of filtered cold water
4 tbsp white miso paste
4 large garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1 14oz tin of jumbo chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
5 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Add everything to a soup pan and stir very well to combine. Over a low heat, gently bring to a simmer...not a boil...heat through until fragrant and hot. But do not allow to boil.

Mine was slightly bubbling when it was heated through enough. Spoon into bowls and serve. 

Enjoy! 
~R~