The Japanese superfood: Using miso in everyday cooking
Have you ever heard of miso?
It’s known across the world as a health food, so I’m sure the more health conscious among you may have encountered it at some point.
In this article, I’ll be focusing on what makes miso so great, how it’s used in Japan and what dishes it can be enjoyed in!
The Japanese superfood: Using miso in everyday cooking
Have you ever heard of miso?
Miso is made from steamed or boiled soybeans, mixed with a smidge of salt and malt (called “koji” in Japanese), and then fermented.
The pungent miso smell might remind some of the aged cheese, but there is a hint of alcohol scent in there too.
When eaten, the texture feels soft like that of peanut butter or mousse and the taste is rich and salty. Some types of miso are also quite grainy depending on the type of malt.
The health benefits of miso
Miso is mostly made of soybeans which are packed with high-quality protein.
The fermentation process adds even more nutrition in the form of essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and carbs.
It’s said that no other ingredient contains as many nutrients, truly making it a Japanese superfood!
Miso is the Japanese equivalent of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and is already much loved in Japan for its health properties.
History of miso
The story goes that miso was imported more than 1,300 years ago from China.
Records exist that describe it being eaten by nobles and used for gifts, but it has been far too much of a luxury for the peasantry.
Miso paste when it was first consumed was much more granular and only became the smoother paste that we know today later on.
It used to be a basic meal for samurai, who enjoyed it dissolved in hot water, but as soybean production ramped up in Japan thanks to the wonders of mass production, miso also came to permeate the lives of the common folk too.
Types of miso
The term miso does not simply define one specific type. The flavor and appearance of miso varies depending on the type of malt and amount of salt used and how long the miso was fermented for.
The 3 types of malt that make up miso
There are three types of malt that are used with soybeans; rice, barley and more soybeans.
“Rice miso” or “kome miso” made from rice malt mixed with soybeans is the most prolific type of miso and is produced all over Japan. The flavor of this miso varies depending on the region it was manufactured in, but “Shinshu miso” which comes from Nagano Prefecture, which produces 40% of all rice miso, has a mild, gentle flavor and is the easiest to eat for people who aren’t used to the taste of miso yet.
“Barley miso” or “mugi miso” which is made with barley malt, is mainly produced in regions like Kyushu, Shikoku and Chugoku and is known for its distinctive aromatic smell.
It’s said that long ago, the climate in this region was too warm to farm much rice, but barley was abundant, so barley miso naturally became more popular here.
“Soybean miso” or “mame miso” is simply made by blending soybean malt with actual soybeans and salt.
Soybean miso is only made in the hottest and most humid places in Japan, like the Tokai region and uses a traditional technique that directly grows the malt on the soybeans.
This method allows the miso to withstand the heat and humidity and last a long time and this long fermentation period imparts a rich umami flavor to many of the miso brands that use this method.
In search of the perfect miso
Each type of miso takes on various shades of color depending on the amount of salt used, proportion of malt and the chemical changes that took place during fermentation.
“White miso” is made by boiling the soybeans and fermenting the mixture for only a short while to give it a gentle, creamy color.
“Red miso” is made by fermenting soybeans that have been steamed.
As the heat during fermentation is high and the fermentation period itself is long, the miso is strongly affected by chemical changes and this results in a dark, red/brown miso.
“Light-colored miso” is somewhere in between red and white miso and is an ochre color.
In Japan, we enjoy these different miso colors and refer to those we use most as “the flavor of our house.”
While there are plenty of people who are proud of and lovingly use the miso that is produced locally, there are also those who seek their ideal miso by, for example, mixing rice and soybean miso together in their favorite proportions.
When you come to Japan, try lots of miso dishes and find the kind of miso that suits your tastes best!
How is miso eaten in Japan?
The long-enjoyed “miso soup” is still a Japanese dinner table staple.
It’s whipped up by dissolving miso into a hot dashi soup made from boiled dried bonito flakes (“katsuobushi”), niboshi sardines or kombu kelp.
Not only does it pair well with rice and other Japanese side dishes, but it’s much loved throughout Japan as a soul food.
It is often filled with wakame seaweed, tofu and aburage deep-fried tofu, but can also be enjoyed with a whole host of ingredients, like veggies and beaten egg, to create a wide variety of soups.
The miso soup in the photo above contains potato and onion.
Miso soup has also taken off overseas in places like Europe and the USA.
In Japan, it can be ordered very easily in restaurants that specialize in Japanese food, set meals and conveyor belt sushi restaurants, or if it’s more convenient, you can pick some freeze dried miso soup up at a convenience store to heat it up at home.
Miso ramen
Perhaps the most popular miso-flavored noodle dish is “miso ramen.”
It supposedly originates from Sapporo City in Hokkaido and is garnished with ingredients that are often consumed in the region, like butter, corn, onions and ginger, but has become a massive hit all over Japan.
Ramen that uses a miso base in its soup is rich and perfect for the kind of cold winter nights you see in the frozen north.
You can get instant miso ramen for cheap at the supermarket, so it also makes the perfect souvenir to bring back from a trip to Japan.
Another noodle dish that people love is Aichi Prefecture’s famous “miso nikomi udon” which is made by cooking udon and other toppings in a salty-sweet miso.
Miso dengaku
This dish is made by taking a skewered piece of konnyaku, tofu, eggplant or taro and brushing it with sweetly seasoned miso.
The miso dengaku in the photo is made using konnyaku and is served with a spicy yellow karashi mustard.
The name “dengaku” comes from the name of a traditional dance called “dengaku” in which a dancer places one foot on a bamboo stilt because the skewers resemble this action so much.
The saltiness of miso pairs well with Japanese sake and beer, so you often see it in bars and restaurants where people are drinking.
You should also check out “miso nigiri” which is a browned onigiri rice ball made with warm rice and smothered in a salty-sweet miso.
Must-know miso recipes
Miso doesn’t only go well with Japanese food. It’s very versatile and easy to incorporate into lots of different dishes, so here are a few of my favorites.
Milk miso soup
Add enough water to a pot to submerge some roughly chopped napa cabbage and turn on the heat.
Once the napa cabbage has softened, add the same amount of milk as water and however much chopped up bacon you like. Add miso and pepper to season to taste.
Now you have a rich milk-based soup that goes well with bread or rice.
If you have an allergy to milk, or you just don’t like it, feel free to substitute it with soy milk.
Miso and milk are a match made in heaven and one of my favorite combinations!
Honey and miso cheese on toast
Mix the honey and miso and spread a thin layer on a slice of toast. Put a slice of cheese on top and put it back in a toaster oven or under a broiler.
Once the cheese has melted and you can smell the mouthwatering scent of miso, it’s done!
The combination of honey and miso is like a Western version of the sauce used in dengaku miso and as miso and cheese are both foods that are matured over a period of time, they also pair nicely.
<Enjoy it in other ways!>
This combination can also be applied to pizza with a few extra toppings of onions and green peppers.
I also recommend mixing miso with mayonnaise to create a miso dip! It makes a great side to fresh, healthy veggie sticks.
Japanese-style spaghetti bolognese
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With the addition of a little miso, you can curb the sharp acidity of the tomatoes in a bolognese sauce. If you want to try this, make sure to add it at the proportion of one spoon per three to four servings.
Taking away that acidity makes it easier for kids to stomach bolognese sauce and helps to infuse a little taste of Japan into it too!
<Enjoy it in other ways!>
Try your hand at using miso to season sauces other than bolognese, like curries, stews and gyoza filling! The saltiness of the miso brings everything together and makes the flavors richer.
Just beware that miso is full of enzymes that can break down other ingredients and thin sauces and stews out, so if you add it to a curry or anything, make sure to add it into the mixture and simmer it for at least 20 minutes before adding the roux.
I hope I’ve managed to show you just how great miso is!
If I’ve piqued your interest, then by all means come to Japan and try all of them yourself!
If you like it then you can try incorporating it in different foods and improve your health from the inside out.
I still have lots more Japanese ingredients to introduce to you, so please look forward to the next article!
Until next time!
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In this blog, I post my food trips around the world, as insights to Japanese food in comparison to all the different cuisines I encounter through my trips.
I have traveled to many places in Japan, so I will be sharing what I know to better plan your trip to my home country, Japan!
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