Zen Stew

When the cold weather comes, the amount of soup that flows through the Evolution Kitchen can be enormous. As the first snow hits us here in the high plains, I wanted a hearty soup that soothes the stomach and the soul. This simple Asian-influenced soup fit the bill.

Zen Stew

Ingredients

2 oz of dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 c water

1 c vegetable broth

½ c red onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 c brown rice, cooked

4 oz tofu, sliced into ½-inch cubes

1 scallion, thinly sliced

3 bunches of spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/3 c miso paste

½ c warm water

Steps

1. If using dried mushrooms, soak them in boiling water for 30 minutes. For both dried and fresh, remove hard stems and slice the caps in thin strips.

2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 cup of water and broth, and the mushrooms, onion, carrot, cooked rice, and tofu. Bring to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, add the scallion and stir in the spinach. Cover the saucepan for a few minutes until the spinach wilts.

3. Mix the miso with the ½ cup of warm water and stir until all lumps are gone. Stir this into the soup. Serve hot.