Red miso soup with mushrooms is a staple side dish in Japanese cuisine, served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It usually accompanies white rice and other foods. In winter, this type of broth or soup often accompanies cold things like sushi. It is usually taken as a restorative during colds. It is usually served in small lacquered bowls to drink it directly from them without using a spoon, although the solid ingredients are eaten with chopsticks.