I was introduced to was Cornellia’s Healing Miso Soup by way of the Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts, based here in Austin, Texas. Originally the school was called Macro Magic, which is where I took my first macrobiotic cooking classes taught by Elizabeth Ortiz. But of course this recipe came directly from Cornellia Aihara (wife and partner of Macrobiotic teacher and philosopher Herman Aihara) and the Vega Study Center. This famous couple founded the Vega Study Center and have helped thousands of people heal themselves through diet and lifestyle changes. They have both since passed away, so sadly the center no longer exists.
I am sure Cornellia would have wanted to share her healing recipe with as many people as possible. Enjoy!
NOTE: This is a more yan style miso soup and is made without any oil.
INGREDIENTS:
Cornellia Makes Her Special Barley Miso
5 inch strip of wakame, soaked in cold water for 5-10 minutes.
5 cups boiling spring or filtered water
4-5 inches organic burdock, cut in pencil shaving method
1 teaspoon organic umeboshi vinegar
4 inches organic daikon, cut in rounds, then matchsticks
1 media organic carrot, cut in pencil shaving method
2-4 teaspoons Cornellia’s Vega 5-year Barley Miso or other organic 3-year barley miso
DIRECTIONS:
Soak wakame by covering with cold water for 5-10 minutes. Pull wakame out of soaking water and squeeze out excess water. Reserve soaking water to add to soup later. Place soup pot on stove with burdock, adding boiling water to cover. Bring to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon umeboshi vinegar, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
While burdock is cooking, cut the harder central spine from the wakame and mince. Cut the ruffle part into 1/2 inch squares. Keep the spine and ruffle parts separate. Set aside.
Add daikon to the soup, again adding boiling water to cover. Place the lid on the pot an simmer utnil tender, Add carrots, wakame soaking water, and minced wakame spine. Cook until carrots are tender. Add wakame ruffles and simmer another 5 minutes.
Dilute miso into a small amount of soup stock, mixing in a suribachi or bowl until smooth. Bring soup to a boil. Shut off heat. Add diluted miso just before serving. Miso should be heated all the way through but not boiled, as boiling will destroy beneficial bacteria and enzymes.
VARIATIONS:
Daikon may get tough during the summer growing season.
Substitute green cabbage, Napa cabbage, celery, or other vegetables in season.
COMMENTS:
Use 1/2-1 teaspoon of miso per cup of water to taste or based on your personal condition.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
We sell Cornelia’s Vega Miso at Casa de Luz in Austin TX for $25.00 per jar. Come on in and visit us at 1701 Toomey Rd, or we would be happy to send you some by post.
Thanks for posting this great article and recipe!
CDL.
The receipt is great.
I pubblished it on my blog…I knew your web site few days ago…Go macrobiotics
Ilaria
Sue Rostvold, thanks for posting this remembrance of Cornelia
Aihara’s teaching! A question, please? About the photo. I’d never
seen it before and wonder where and when it was taken. I’ve recently
been reading, once again, “The Do ….” and loved the comments
Cornelia Aihara made about the shiso plants she used in her kitchen
as they continued to grow in her garden.
Yes, Cornellia would surely be happy that you are sharing her miso soup recipe! And that is a great picture of her in the basement of the Vega Study Center, but she is stirring a barrel of fermenting shoyu in this pic, not barley miso.
Best Wishes,
David B.
Where in Austin do you buy some of the Japanese ingredients I see in many macrobiotic recipes? I’m new to macrobiotics and am a bit overwhelmed by some of the ingredients.