6 cups water
Small handful dried bonito flakes
3 dried shitake mushrooms
a 4-inch piece of dried wakame
6 tablespoons miso paste
2 cups watercress washed

6 cup s water 3 dried shitake mushrooms 6 tablespoons miso paste 2 cup s watercress washed

1. heat the water in a small soup pot

2. when bubbles add the bonito

3. turn the heat down and simmer for 2 minutes

4. turn off heat and let broth sit for 5 minutes

5. strain into a clean pot and discard bonito

6. Add the shitakes and wakame to the broth and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes

7. remove shitakes and wakame, discard the thick stems from the mushrooms, thinly slice the caps, and slip them back into the broth

8. Chop the Wakame into small pieces, discard the stems and return to the pot

9. In a small bowl, combine the miso paste with a bit of the broth and whisk to blend

10. Pour the mixture back into the pot and let the soup simmer

11. add the watercress at the last minute just to wilt it