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White miso paste, also called mild or sweet miso. Photo © CrumbsAndTales. Try their recipe for carrot, miso and ginger salad dressing.
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Almost everyone who has been to a Japanese restaurant has had miso soup. But today’s tip includes other things to do with miso (MEE-zoe).
Thanks to the popularity of miso, you can find at least one type of miso paste in many supermarkets and all natural foods stores (Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, for example).
Miso is a paste made from soybeans and grains (typically barley or rice), koji (a fungus that serves as a fermenting agent) and sea salt.
It can ferment from a short time (for mild homemade miso) to three years (for red miso). The result has the consistency of hummus.
The fermentation produces an enzyme-rich, living food that contains many beneficial microorganisms. However, it also has a relatively high salt content.
Miso should be refrigerated and added to cooked foods just before they are removed from the heat.
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TYPES OF MISO PASTE
Different types of miso paste are available in Japanese markets (like Sunrise Mart in New York City). Natural food stores typically carry the three most common.
The deeper the color, the higher the percentage of soybeans and the stronger the flavor.
White miso paste, shiromiso, is the most common form. It has just a small amount of soybeans; the majority ingredient is riceor barley. White miso is also called mild miso and sweet miso, and is used mostly in salad dressings and marinades. It is also incorporated into Japanese and vegan desserts.
Yellow miso paste is stronger than white miso. It is a combination of barley and rice, and the most versatile of the varieties, used for glazes, marinades and soups.
Red miso paste is the strongest, fermented the longest to a deep red or deep brown color, made from mostly soybeans. The more percentage of soybeans, the longer the fermentation and the deeper the color. It is used to add heartier flavors to vegetables asparagus, eggplant and kale; dips, sauces and spreads.
WAYS TO USE MISO PASTE
In Japan, miso soup is a culinary staple, whisked into dashi (stock) and enjoyed at any meal, starting with breakfast. It is also used to give an earthier flavor to noodle soups, such as ramen and udon.
It is also used as a condiment/seasoning:
Braising meats, seafood (try miso-braised cod) and vegetables (try eggplant and mushrooms)
Compound butter: East meets West (how to make compound butter)
Dips and spreads: season with spices and use with crudités and rice crackers
Dressing: whisked into a dressing for salads and cooked vegetables
Grilling, as an overnight marinade and a glaze (coat corn on the cob, wrap in foil and grill)
Pickling, for a sweeter variety of vegetables pickles
Sauces: misoyaki is a variant of teriyaki
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Americans have incorporated miso into Western cuisine, from gravy to risotto and quich. For inspiration, pick up a book like The Miso Book: The Art of Cooking with Miso. It not only has many recipes, but shows you how to make your own miso paste from scratch.
Start by making miso soup and salad dressing with the recipes below.
RECIPE: EASY MISO DRESSING
Ingredients
3 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil (peanut, vegetable)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons white miso
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon honey or 1/4 teaspoon agave
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
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A familiar bowl of miso soup (photo courtesy Sushi Lounge | Morristown, NJ).
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Optional additions: chili flakes/sriracha, grated fresh ginger, peanut butter
Preparation
1. WHISK the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Taste and add more honey or vinegar as you prefer.
2. STORE leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
RECIPE: EASY MISO SOUP
Ingredients
8 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dashi granules*
1/4 cup red miso paste
1 tablespoon dried seaweed, reconstituted in water and drained
1/2 cup cubed tofu
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
Preparation
1. ADD the water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the instant dashi; whisk to dissolve. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the tofu and seaweed. Simmer for 2 minutes. While the soup simmers…
2. SPOON the miso paste into a bowl. Ladle 1/2 cup of the hot dashi broth into the bowl and whisk until the miso paste melts and is the mixture smooth.
3. TURN off the heat and add the miso paste to the pot. Stir well. Taste the soup and whisk in another 1-2 tablespoons of miso paste as desired. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
*This is the easy version; the soup will be ready in 10 minutes. When you have time, try a recipe that uses homemade dashi stock, made from fish and kelp. For quick recipes, dashi is also available in a bouillon cube format.
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