Souperchef Special | Barramundi Miso Arajiru
(Fish* | Contains Gluten | Egg-Free | Dairy-Free)
(*May contain fine fish bones)
A bowl of miso soup is one of the simplest and most comforting things to eat. It is a staple of the Japanese diet. Made from fermented soybeans, there are many well documented health benefits of miso. These include reduced risks of cancer, strengthening the immune system to combat infection, providing nutrients like protein, vitamins and dietary fibre. So thankful something this healthy is also this yummy!
A traditional arajiru made with fish bones.
Arajiru, a miso soup made with fish head and bones typical fare in a sashimi restaurant. Nothing goes to waste in Japan, after the fillets are used to make sashimi and sushi, the bones are used to make flavourful miso soup.
We had many bowls of miso soup but the one that excited me most was the Arajiru, a miso soup made with kombu bonito stock but with the addition of fish head and fish bones that had been chargrilled. Nothing goes to waste! The leftover carcass after filleting the sashimi is used to make this delicious soup. The grilling of the bones before making the soup is definitely a marvellous technique for making soups less fishy, and imparts a smoky flavour to an otherwise a commonplace miso soup. Sometimes the simplest foods are the most soul-satisfying.
Our version is inspired by the comfort food of one of our hosts, Kayano—this traditional arajiru and Shimabara guizoni.
Shimabara Guizoni made with rice cakes
We made ours from chargrilled Kühlbarra barramundi bones and kombu for the base stock, with added citrusy notes of lemon and yuzu. The citrus fruits give this miso soup distinctive sharpness and acidity with floral notes, cutting the fishiness of the barramundi bone stock. The arajiru is flavourful and has a clean yet complex taste. It is probably the best tasting miso soup I have ever created, if I may say so myself! The addition of tofu makes this soup more filling, propelling it from being just a side dish to a main meal. Let us know what you think!
Barramundi miso arajiru
Ingredients: Fish stock (water, fish bones, root vegetables, herbs), kombu, Kühlbarra barramundi fish, white radish, ,carrots, silken tofu, leeks, garlic, ginger, shiro miso, fish sauce, yuzu juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, kaffir lime leaves
Condiments: Yuzu juice, dried seaweed strips