Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing Soup with Sesame Crackers

Start by making the crackers. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium bowl, mix the sesame seeds, flax seeds and salt. In a small separate bowl, mix the miso paste, water and sesame oil. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until a thick consistency is achieved. Let the dough rest for 10 mins to allow the flax seeds to gel.

Wet your hands with water and flatten the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 mins, then remove briefly to score into pieces (triangles, squares, or any shape you prefer). Return the sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 30 mins, or until golden and crispy. Cool down before serving.

Meanwhile, get started on the soup. Peel and roughly chop the shallot, finely chop the garlic, and grate the ginger. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sauté, covered, for about 5 mins. Add the garlic and ginger, sautéing for an additional 3 mins until fragrant.

Scrub the carrots clean and remove the ends (no need to peel), then roughly chop them and add to the pot along with the miso paste. Pour in enough vegetable broth to cover the carrots and simmer for 20 mins, or until they’re soft (you may not need the full amount of stock).

While the soup is cooking, thinly slice the radishes and chop the spring onions. Toss them with a splash of sesame oil and rice vinegar to create a simple garnish.

Blend the soup until smooth and garnish with a few sesame miso crackers and the marinated radishes and spring onion.