Wakame seaweed is a very common ingredient found in Japanese soups, especially the famous miso soup.

Here, it brings the fresh taste of the ocean to this tofu soup as well as provide a good dose of iodine.

Other healthy ingredients such as fresh carrot, leek, shiitake mushrooms and silken tofu makes this a hearty and healthy dish.

The recipe uses chicken stock but you can replace it with vegetable stock if you want to make this a vegetarian soup dish.

Make sure you choose a stock that is light and clear.

Removing silken tofu from its box can be tricky. Score the sides of the plastic sheet top with a knife.

Lift the sheet up. Cover the top of the box with a flat plate and invert. Press the bottom of the box gently to dislodge the tofu.

Ingredients

1 stalk leek
750ml chicken soup stock
60g carrot
3 fresh shiitake mushrooms
5g Wakamwe seaweed
1 box silken tofu
1 tbsp chopped spring onion




Seasonings

2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp light soy sauce

Directions

1. Wash the leek and slice it thinly at an angle, creating a more interesting shape
2. Wash, peel and slice the carrot thinly at an angle. You can cut a couple of grooves along the side of the carrot before slicing. It produces a nice flower shape
3. Soak, wask and slice the mushrooms
4. Soak the wakame seaweed in water for a few minutes. Drain
5. Remove tofu carefully from the box. Cut into small cubes
6. Bring the soup stock to a boil in a pot
7. Add the leek, carrot and shiitake mushrooms
8. Bring soup back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes
9. Add the wakame seaweed and tofu cubes
10. Stir in the salt and cook for 2-3 minutes
11. Remove from heat
12. Add the sesame oil and spring onions
13. Serve