Steamed Kale and Carrots with Miso Sauce

ingredients

2 c. water
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 lemon, cut in 3 pieces
1 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 c. miso
1 c. carrots, sliced lengthwise in 2-inch pieces
1 cup diced daikon (optional)
2 c. chopped kale (or chard could be substituted)

instructions

Sauté the diced garlic lightly in a large saucepan. Add water, lemon, ginger and miso and bring to simmer, stirring to dissolve the miso. Add the carrots and daikon (if you are using it), and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add kale, stir and simmer for five minutes until the kale is soft and fully cooked. Remove lemon pieces.  If you want to thicken the miso, you can pour a bit of it from the saucepan, gently simmer it in a second pan, and whisk in a bit of flour.  Continue to add the miso from the first pan.  It is not a good idea to boil miso, so just simmer it gently with the flour until it is the correct consistency.