White Corn and Miso Soup with Chili Oil

Preparation

In a suitable saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add chopped onions, salt and black pepper. Stir and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden.

Add miso paste and water. Mix well until the miso is completely dissolved in the liquid.

Reserve 1/4 cup corn and set aside. Add the remaining corn to the pan, stir and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the reserved corn in a small saucepan with the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil for about 2 minutes, stirring. Put aside.

For the chili oil (see notes), in a small saucepan, add the olive oil and the dried chili. Cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Minimal heat is needed so that the dried chili does not burn or get fried, but only allows its flavors to season the oil. Filter if you wish (I do).

Blend the prepared soup using an immersion blender or a regular blender. Before serving, stir in roasted corn, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chilli oil. Enjoy.

Note: You don’t have to make chili oil. You can buy ready-to-use chili oil or use your favorite chili sauce (including Tabasco). You can also use chili flakes instead. If you choose to prepare chili oil, the dried chilies you choose to use will of course affect the taste of the oil. There are many types of dried chillies. There are the bigger ones, which are usually less spicy – in this case I would use two. There are the small ones which are usually very spicy, and then I would use one. Feel free to use the leftover chili oil for any other stews.