Cat's Version: Malunggay-Miso Soup (Other Soups and Stews)

Category:		Soups & Stews
Style:		Other
Special Consideration:		Quick and Easy
Servings:		2

Description:

I'm fond of putting together leftovers or concocting something out of whatever I can find in my fridge. Mind you, my fridge's contents is chaotic as I keep on stuffing whatever I haven't finished eating into the overworked box.

However, miso is one thing which is always in my freezer, because I've taken to using it instead of salt (I admit, I keep forgetting to buy from the grocery).

Malunggay (Moringa in English) leaves are more rare for me, as I just bring some from Cebu everytime I go home. I ask my mom or our helper to give me the cleaned up version of the leaves, wrap them in newspaper and stick the leaves in the fridge too.

Below you will find the version of what I cooked tonight.

Ingredients:

1 shitake mushroom (or whatever mushroom you are fond of), thinly sliced

1/2 of a peeled medium potato, sliced into cubes
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 ripe tomato, sliced into strips
1 thumb-sized ginger, peeled and crushed
handful of malunggay leaves
handful of ground beef (sometimes I use chopped ham if I can't find any meat in my fridge)
olive oil
dash of chili oil
miso to taste
1/2 inch squeezed from a tube of karashi (からし). This is a type of mustard used as a condiment or as a seasoning in Japanese cuisine and which I found stuck in my ref's side door.

Directions:

1. After cutting everything as directed above, heat up some olive oil in a saucepan. Tip in first the crushed garlic, and when that is somewhat cooked (but not browned), drop the onion and ground beef (or pork or whatever itty-bitty pieces of meat you might like to flavor your soup).

2. After a while, when onion, garlic and meat have been sizzling away, drop in the cut-up potato at first then when its half-cooked, tip in the mushrooms. Saute it for a minute or so, then put in the ginger and add 2 cups of water. Pour a few drop of chili oil (optional). Simmer. Cover your saucepan.

3. When the soup is at the boiling point, put in the tomatoes and malunggay leaves. After stirring it up to make sure the leaves are mixed up with the other ingredients, take your miso paste and drop one spoonful at a time, stirring it until you get the right combination of saltiness as to what suits your palate. An option is including some karashi in your soup for that kick of mustard.

5. You can leave your pot of soup on your electric stove for a while, like I do, after you turn of the power. That will still keep it warm. Serve with slices of toasted french bread with a pat of butter, or pair with rice..or eat as is..whatever makes you happy ;-)

Note, that this version may change..maybe next week I will include carrots or daikon if I can find one, sprinkle oregano and basil on it or whatever may be on my shelf at that time.

- Feb 8, '10 9:40 PM