Eating In

Morning Miso and Curry Fries

By Alex Brown and Evan George

It’s always unfortunate when a great dish gets typecast, but there are few tear-jerkers more depressing than the case of miso soup. This broth is rich in culture (both historical and microbial) and is one of the best hangover cures. But the way Americans stereotype miso as a cheap sushi appetizer and an alternative to salad is criminal. Here, we spruce it up and drink it like morning tea, with a plate of oven crispy curry fries—oil being the next best hangover cure.

Curry Fries

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes (or yams)

4 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 cup canola oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F degrees while you prep. Peel the potatoes, leaving some skin for texture and cut each in half. Add taters to a large, boiling pot of slightly salted water. Boil for 8-10 minutes, making sure the potatoes remain slightly crunchy, then strain and run under cold water for a minute to cool.

2. Once cooled, cut the sweet potatoes in long strips (to make large-cut fries) and toss them with the curry powder in a large bowl. Once evenly spiced, coat a baking sheet with the oil and spread the fries out. Shake to coat evenly with oil. Shove them in the oven for 20-30 minutes (or until crisp), tossing occasionally.

Miso

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons canola oil

1 small bulb ginger, peeled and minced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 white onion, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

4 tablespoons miso paste

6 cups water

2 cups edamame (soy beans), thawed if frozen, and shelled

4 green onions, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. Combine the sesame and canola oil in a medium sauce pan and place over medium heat. Sauté ginger, garlic and white onion for 5 minutes, covered.

2. Add the soy and rice wine vinegar, letting it cook off for 3 minutes. Add all of the miso paste, and add the water in slow increments, stirring to help it dissolve. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

3. Right before serving, add edamame and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, dish into small soup cups or mugs, and garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Beverage: Water

Soundtrack: George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh

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