MISO SOUPS
Miso soups—miso is fermented bean curd—are an essential part of the traditional Japanese breakfast, though soups thickened with miso also appear at lunch and dinner. In Japan, there are many varieties of miso. Here are two basic miso soups, one based on the light-colored, mellow miso that is popular in Kyoto and Osaka, and the other a dark-colored, pungent red miso that is favored in the region of Tokyo.
   
   light-colored miso soup with simmered vegetables
   dark-colored miso soup with sautéed vegetables