Miso soup with tofu chrysanthemum

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp instant dashi, such as Hondashi
• 2 tablespoons white miso paste
• 400 g silken or soft tofu
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of cold water to a boil over high heat. Add the instant dashi and stir. Place the miso paste in a long-handled sieve and strain it into the dashi. Keep the broth on low heat to keep it warm.
2. Meanwhile, cut the tofu block into quarters. Place a quarter of the tofu on a plastic spatula. Place wooden chopsticks on opposite sides of the tofu, parallel to each other. Carefully slice the tofu with a very sharp knife into thin slices.
3. Make the slices as thin as you can without breaking the tofu (about 0.3–0.5 cm). You don't want to cut all the way through the tofu (the knife will stop at the chopsticks). Rotate the spatula and chopsticks 90 degrees so they are perpendicular to their previous position. Carefully slice the tofu in the other direction.
4. Lift a spatula and spoon the tofu into the center of the soup bowl. Carefully pour about 3/4 cup of hot miso soup around the edge of the bowl to avoid damaging the tofu. Lightly swirl the soup and use chopsticks to gently separate the thin strips of tofu to create a chrysanthemum flower. Sprinkle with green onions. Repeat with the remaining tofu pieces and broth.