Have you ever left your miso soup untouched for a while? If you have you may have noticed that there is a cloudy substance on the bottom surrounded by clear broth on top.
It looks like a completely different substance than what you first put in your dish.
It also seems like it’s “moving” when you watch it.
Why does miso soup separate and seem like it’s moving?
Unlike a lot of other soup mixtures, miso doesn’t dissolve in the broth. That’s the reason this happens and the soup separates and starts “moving” once it settles. When you first put the miso soup in your dish it will be cloudy and remain that way as you eat it. As you eat the soup your spoon is stirring the mixture which keeps it from separating.
Miso soup is made from a Japanese soup stock called dashi and miso, which is a fermented paste that is usually made from soybeans.
That’s why you won’t actually notice that the miso doesn’t dissolve as you’re enjoying the soup.
If you notice your miso soup has separated that doesn’t mean you can’t eat it. The soup hasn’t gone bad and is still good to eat.
Once you stir the mixture it will go back to that cloudier color that you are used to seeing.
Also read: how do you use miso powder as opposed to miso paste?
