We had some delicious, what I'm assuming was, miso soup a few times during our trip. The reason, I'm unsure is because the miso soup I'm used to in Vancouver typically has some seaweed & some small squares of tofu and a very simple salty taste to it. (And if I get it as part of a set, I usually give to my friend or wife.) However, the miso soups we had in Japan had a deeper fish flavour with a chunk of fish bone/stock material in the bowl.

This was miso soup that we had right? Is it normal to include the chunk of fish? The chunk of fish was more bone than flesh but are you supposed to scape off and eat the limited flesh?

TIA.

Were you eating in a lot of sushi places?

Miso shiru varies from region to region, and, supposedly from family to family (the ideal is that a child can pick out his/her mother's from the multitude). I've made dashi for miso shiru using shaved bonito plenty of times, I still haven't tried making it with dried sardines.

Also the additions to this soup will commonly vary according to the season. Lots of tiny little slimy mushrooms make it into the soup in October, and little clams are common in the winter.

I suppose that restaurants that serve sushi and sashimi end up with large quantities of good quality fish pieces near the bone and these will make a great addition to a stock.

Just my own conclusions from observation.

I don't know the secret of making miso stock (dashi) but it does involve a fair amount of shaved dried bonito and it seems other dried seafood and seaweed (for a more intense flavour). I guess the soup you had was because there was some fish trimmings available. I typically use sockeye trimming (I buy the whole gutted fish) and make a dashi with it. Haven't got the right flavour (not enough dried bonito?)

Come to think of it, I think you guys nailed it. I believe the places that I recall that included the fish chunk/bone were the couple of sushi places we ate at when we ordered a set. I still enjoyed the other miso soups we had at other restaurants better than what's mainly served here locally but wow what a difference a good stock makes.

LapLap is right. Miso soup is not one thing--it's more a category of soups. While tofu chunks and wakame in a light brown broth is the most common recipe, there are other common variations. Actually, miso itself comes in several varieties. The grocery department of a typical Japanese department stores has a whole counter devoted to different varieties of miso, ranging from light tan to dark reddish brown.

I'll assume you're also using kombu (vital).

Take a look at this clip, 4:31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5cLK0T9d6I

I'm not sure what you mean about getting it 'right' as it's completely down to personal preference.

You might like to try using niboshi, it's possible that that's the taste you're hankering after.

Many sushi restaurants will serve miso with all kinds of fish leftovers in there, yum! Fishheads, fishheads, roly poly fishheads, fishheads, fishheads, eat them up yum!

OMD, Barnes & Barnes...

Having a problem with Flashbacks?

Yes, it is 1985 and I'm wearing leather pants, a silk shirt, Ray Bans and a mullet.

Are you letting Smidgen use the computer again?

Hey I resembled that remark back then.

And just how widespread was Dr. Demento? Thought it as more local. Obviously he was syndicated way beyond the borders of where I grew up. Learn something new everyday.

Even the mullet? I am sooo disillusioned.

Past the shoulders even.

Miso soup has changed my life.

Miso soup is my tradition whenever I have a Japanese meal.. always have it before the entree arrives. Theres just no other way I'd have it. Except for maybe mjm's special mabodofu outings!

Oh I just remembered. When I had Miso soup at the Ueno station one year I put my long chopsticks in the bowl only to be nearly freightened when theres a prawn's eye and head bobbing out at the surface peering me in the eye as if to say "Don't eat me, I'm salty!" I just took it out as calmly as I could and continued to enjoy the miso soup minus the prawn heads... *laughs* Such a scary day that it was but I had the sushi bar as well!

Sanosuke!

Special case here, I also harbour a fondness for Negativland (Booh! U2) and The Residents.