This recipe was featured in an Eating Well Magazine piece about how to layer on the umami flavors in vegetarian cooking.  Which is never a bad idea.  Did you know that corn is considered a source of umami flavor?  I didn’t, but I can attest that the sweet kernels were welcome in this dish.  Miso, soy sauce, tofu, and eggs also play into the deep flavor, and you might even consider adding some thinly-sliced shiitake mushrooms if you come across them.

I’ll be adding this meal to our dinner rotation as we lighten up our cooking for spring.  It’s full of flavor, quick to make, and can easily be adapted to accommodate the contents of your fridge.  It’s also kid-friendly, which is no small consideration around here.  In fact, this “Tofu and Vegetable Stew,” as it was stodgily named in my magazine, is really just a beefed-up (well, tofu’d-up) miso soup with a nice kick of ginger.  We made a meal of it by serving it over rice.Hearty Miso Soup with Ginger, Corn, and Tofu: Saute a diced onion with 1 1/2 Tbsp. grated ginger over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften.  Add 4 c. shredded cabbage and cook for a minute or two until it begins to wilt, then add 4 c. vegetable stock and 1/2 c. snipped dulse or arame seaweed (I didn’t have either of these, so I just added shredded nori on top of the soup when I served it).  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, then add 1 c. fresh or frozen corn and simmer 2 minutes.  Add 1-2 blocks tofu cut into 1/2″ pieces (the recipe calls for 2 12-14 oz packages; next time I might use 1 1/2) and simmer 3 minutes, until hot.  Stir in 1/4 c. miso and simmer one more minute.  Drizzle two beaten eggs all over the soup and let them simmer, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes, until the eggs have just set.  Remove from heat and gently stir in 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar.  Serve over rice, topped with sliced green onions (and nori, if you didn’t add seaweed earlier).