by Peggy Kingery, from the November 1999 Newsletter

Homemade soup every day? Hmm. As a beginning macrobiotic cook, I wondered how I was going to fit it into my diet, and where I was going to find the time to make it. Once I learned about its health benefits, and that some soups only took 15 minutes to prepare, it easily became part of my daily food.

In the macrobiotic diet, one or two small bowls of lightly-seasoned soup is eaten per day. It's an essential food because it corresponds to the sea in which life began. In essence, when we eat soup, especially when it's seasoned with miso or shoyu, we're connecting to our evolutionary origins. Usually served as a first course, it provides extra liquid and various nutrients, stimulates the appetite, and prepares our digestive system for the rest of the meal.

The types of soups enjoyed on the macrobiotic diet include those seasoned with miso; clear soups and soup stocks; and those made from vegetables, beans, or grains.

Miso soup has been valued in the Far East for thousands of years for its healthful properties. Miso is a dark puree made by inoculating cooked soybeans, sea salt, and barley or rice with a mold called koji and aging the mixture for one to three years in wooden kegs. It's easily digested and its combination of soybeans and grains contains all the essential amino acids. The enzymes in miso are believed to stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids and aid in the digestion and assimilation of food in the intestines. Miso has been traditionally used to detoxify the body from the harmful effects of excessive animal food, sugar, chemicals, and pollutants.

There are various types of miso. Their tastes and flavors differ depending on the ingredients used and how long the mixture has been aged. Slowly-fermented miso is usually darker in color than rapidly produced miso and has a rich, deep aroma and taste. The main types of miso are mugi (made from soybeans and barley), hatcho (made from soybeans), and genmai (made from soybeans and brown rice). Mugi is the sweetest and the most suitable for daily cooking. Hatcho is made with less water and salt than the other types. It has a rich, hearty taste, a thick texture, and is traditionally enjoyed in winter soups. Genmai is rich-tasting but light and is enjoyed mostly in soups eaten during warm months.

Miso soup is quick and easy to make. For one serving, place soaked and diced wakame (a great way of including this nutritional powerhouse in your diet!) and a few slices of vegetables such as carrots, daikon, or scallions in a small saucepan with a cup of spring water. Simmer this for a few minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender, then stir in 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of miso that has been diluted with a little water. Miso should always be added to soup at the end of cooking to ensure that its enzymes are not destroyed, and lightly simmered for a few minutes to blend ingredients.

Clear soup is made from kombu, vegetable, or shiitake mushroom stock and usually contains just a few ingredients to act as a garnish. Kombu stock, also known as dashi, is prepared by boiling a piece of kombu for several minutes in a quart of water, then removing it. Shiitake stock is made similar to kombu stock except that the mushrooms are often left in.

With vegetable, bean, or grain soups, the only limit is the cook's imagination. What's most important is using fresh, seasonal vegetables and the highest-quality organic beans or grains that appeal to the eye as well as the taste buds.

In macrobiotic cooking, soups are prepared according to the principles of balance. If the meal is light, the soup should be thick and hearty; if the meal is rich, a simple miso soup or clear broth is more suitable. In hot weather, cooling soups containing seasonal vegetables such as leafy greens and minimal seasoning are generally prepared, whereas in cold weather, soups prepared with hearty root vegetables and heavier seasoning are more appropriate.

Now that the days are getting cooler, I crave a soup with the ability to chase away the chill in the air. This one, a hearty take-off on a traditional Italian dish, is a delicious way of doing just that.

Seitan Pasta E Fagioli (serves 4)

1 cup pinto beans
1 cup chopped carrot
1 6" strip kombu, soaked 5 minutes and diced
1 1/2 cups cubed seitan
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup whole wheat elbow noodles
1 teasp unrefined oil
1/2 teasp sea salt
2 minced garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 sliced onion
1/2 teasp oregano
1 cup sliced celery
2 tablsp mugi miso

Wash and soak beans for 6-8 hours. Place kombu in a stew pot. Add beans and water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and sauté garlic and onion for 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrot, and seitan and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, adding water if necessary to prevent scorching.

When beans are cooked, add salt, bay leaf, oregano, noodles, and vegetable-seitan mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes. Dissolve miso in 2 tablespoons water and stir in. Simmer 2 minutes more.

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