Japanese Clam Miso Soup

INGREDIENTS

• ½ lb Manila clams
• 2 cups water
• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (0.2 oz, 5 g; 2 x 2 inches, 5 x 5 cm per piece)
• 2 Tbsp miso (I use koji miso or awase miso)
• 1 green onion/scallion (finely chopped)

For Cleaning the Clams

• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

To De-Grit and Clean the Clams

• As soon as you purchase the clams, you must purge them of sand and clean them following my tutorial. Use 2 cups water and 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and start this process 1 hour prior to cooking.

To Prepare the Clam Miso Soup

1. In a medium pot, put the clean ½ lb Manila clams, 2 cups water, and 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low.
3. Skim off the scum using a fine-mesh skimmer. Tip: Prepare a cup/bowl of water and dip the skimmer in the water to clean.
4. When all the clams open up, turn off the heat immediately and do not overcook it. Remove and discard the kombu.
5. Use a ladle and dissolve 2 Tbsp miso. Each brand of miso has different saltiness, so adjust the taste of the soup by adding more water or miso (add a small amount at a time).
6. Serve the Clam Miso Soup in individual soup bowls. Sprinkle with 1 green onion/scallion (chopped). When you need to reheat the soup, make sure you DO NOT BOIL the miso soup because it will lose its flavor.