Steps

1. In a pot, add dashi pack 1 pack, water 600ml, cooking sake 50ml, and mirin 1 tbsp.
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2. Tear shiitake mushrooms 1 pack into bite-sized pieces by hand and add to the pot. This is a key step! Shiitake mushrooms are recommended for natto soup because they are easy to prepare and release a lot of dashi.
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3. Finely chop the green onions. A trick for easy mincing: move the knife straight, tilting the ingredient diagonally to create a "fan cut" for fine pieces. Green onions pair well with natto, and their components help with the absorption of natto's nutrients.
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4. Transfer the finely chopped green onions 40g to a separate container to preserve their texture and aroma.
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5. Finely chop fried tofu (aburaage) 1 piece.
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6. Add the chopped fried tofu to the pot.
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7. Place the pot over medium-low heat. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes to extract flavor from the dashi pack, shiitake mushrooms, and fried tofu. A key step! When the umami is rich, the soup will taste delicious even with less miso.
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8. Finely mash natto 2 packs with a knife until sticky and well-mixed. A key step! Using regular natto and mashing it will distribute the natto flavor throughout the soup better than using pre-mashed natto. Using the weight of the knife and a flick of the wrist can make it less tiring.
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9. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the dashi pack from the pot.
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10. Dissolve miso to your desired saltiness. A key step! Miso varies in salt content, so taste and adjust. It's recommended to strain the miso through a sieve for a smoother texture.
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11. After adjusting the flavor, add the mashed natto to the pot.
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12. Stir well until the natto and miso soup are blended before turning on the heat. A key step! Heating natto does not destroy proteins or vitamins other than nattokinase.
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13. Once the natto is incorporated and the soup has thickened, reheat gently, avoiding a boil.
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14. Ladle into a bowl and top with the reserved chopped green onions.
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