Miso Soup with Watercress

Ingredients:
• 6 cups water (filtered is best) 
• 50 grams dried bonito flakes 
• 3 dried shitake mushrooms 
• 4" piece of dried wakame    
• 6 tablespoons miso paste (whatever kind you like—sweet white miso makes for a nice, light soup while aged barley gives a full, robust flavor) 
• 2 cups watercress leaves 


Directions:
• Heat the water in a small soup pot and when bubbles form around the edge, add the bonito.
• Turn the heat down and simmer for two minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the broth sit for five minutes.
• Strain the broth into a clean pot, discarding the bonito.
• Add the shitakes and wakame to the broth and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
•  Remove the wakame and mushrooms.
• Discard the thick stems from the mushrooms, thinly slice the caps and slip them back into the soup.
• Chop the wakame into small pieces, discarding any thick pieces of stem, and return to the pot.
• In a small bowl, combine the miso paste with a bit of the broth and whisk to combine.
• Pour the mixture back into the pot and let the soup simmer, being careful not to let it boil.
• Add the watercress at the last minute, just to wilt it, and serve.