Chickpea Miso Soup

Everyone in my household seems to have a bit of a funny tummy and I in particular have been craving miso soup to settle it. Miso is a form of fermented food containing soy beans, Koji (culture of cooked rice/wheat/soy) and salt. It's particularly good at protecting our bodies from radiation and heavy metals which is why the Japanese have been eating more of it since the earthquake: the dipicolonic acid in miso bonds with strontium and removes it from the body. It's also a natural probiotic and helps restore gut health by feeding the friendly organisms in our tummies, which is possibly why mine is demanding it. It is very comforting indeed. 
This miso paste was kindly given to me by Shima Shimizu from the Sesame Kitchen and you can make a super quick soup by combining 1 tablespoon of it with boiling water. Then add a little cubed tofu, chopped spring onion and bonito flakes if you like. 
She runs classes on how to make miso from soybeans, chickpeas (such as this) and other beans. Making your own with the best ingredients ensures the highest quality miso rather than mass-produced varieties using GM soybeans. Get all info on the Sesame Kitchen website.