More miso!
Dishes with miso are appearing on the menus of more and more restaurants, so it’s time to start buying it yourself too. To bring your miso knowledge up to scratch, here are the basics in a nutshell. Soon you’ll be able to go all out with that jar of miso in the fridge.
Miso is a mixture of fermented soybeans, grain and salt. This soybean paste originally comes from Japan, where they have thousands of varieties. No two misos are the same. Miso tastes umami, salty and savoury. The Japanese swear by it. Miso paste helps with digestion and is also said to have a beneficial effect on your gut flora.
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Fermentation
Miso is created through a fermentation process. This is set in motion by the koji mould. The more of this mould you add, the sweeter your miso paste will be. But many more factors influence your miso. Depending on the fermentation time and the type of grain added, the flavours can differ considerably. The fermentation or ageing process takes anywhere from a few months to a few years. The longer the ageing time, the stronger the flavour. In that respect, it is just like cheese. The darker the miso, the longer it has been aged, and the saltier and more complex its flavour.
Types of miso
In Japan, there is not just one type of miso; every region has its own variety. There are thousands of different types, but unless you’re going to Japan soon, this list will be enough for now:
– Shiro, white miso. Mild in flavour. Relatively high in koji, making it a sweet miso paste.
– Aka, red miso. Relatively more soybeans and fermented for longer.
– Hacho, dark brown with a strong flavour thanks to two to three years of fermentation.
– Genmai, miso made with brown rice. Has a more earthy flavour.
– Mughi, miso made from barley. Delicious in stir-fries.
You won’t always find miso in regular supermarkets, but you usually will in organic food shops. You also have a good chance of finding it at an Asian supermarket.
After the soup
With this miso knowledge, you’ll soon be happily spooning up your Japanese miso soup . Perhaps not for breakfast, as they do in Japan, but it is also highly recommended for lunch or dinner. But then what? What do you do with the rest of the miso? Covered in the fridge, a jar will keep indefinitely. But it would be a shame to leave it there forever. Here’s what you can do with it:
Use miso as a glaze for your vegetables; eggplant with miso is one of our all-time favourites. Make your own miso butter: let butter soften and mix in some miso paste. Delicious with meat, for example, or mixed through soba noodles. Mix miso with sesame oil to make a delicious glaze for your roasted fish. Add a little rice vinegar as well and you’ll have a spicy vinaigrette. This miso marinade gives classic turkey a delicious crust. Or go for miso mayo on your sandwich.
