Japanese Country-Style Miso and Tofu (Hiya Shiru)

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

½ cup dried Asian-style whole sardines

2 ½ tablespoons red miso paste

½ cup boiling water

1 (16 ounce) package silken tofu, cubed

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

In a dry heavy skillet over medium heat, stir the sesame seeds and dried sardines until they give off their fragrance but don t burn, about 2 minutes. Place the sesame seeds and dried sardines in the work bowl of a small food processor, and pulse until ground to a fine powder.

Place the dried sardine mixture in a large bowl, and stir in the miso to make a very thick paste. Add boiling water and mix to a smooth, creamy consistency, and gently stir in the cubed tofu, green onions, and red pepper flakes.