Miso

Miso is a nutritious paste made from steamed and crushed soya beans, sea salt and grains such as barley and rice. This thick paste is then fermented and aged for anywhere between five days and three years. It has become a staple item in Japan, where it is used to add a creamy texture and a rich flavour to soups, stews, noodles, vegetables, dipping sauces, marinades, rubs, meats and dressings. It may also be used to make a nutritious broth or a tasty stock and can act as a substitute for soy sauce or salt. Miso paste has a consistency of peanut butter, but is also sold in powdered form, which is usually used to make miso soup.

A number of factors affect the flavour, colour and texture of the miso. These include:

• the type of fungus (koji) used to ferment the soya beans,
• the ratio of the amount of koji to soya beans,
• the amount of salt added, and
• the length of aging.

When aged for a short period of time, miso is a very light golden caramel or yellow colour with a mild, sweet flavour that may be used in delicate sauces, dressings, creamy soups, fish, poultry, and a variety of lighter foods. Varieties include Shiro, a miso made using rice.

On further aging, the paste becomes a dark brown colour, and acquires a richer, more pungent and salty taste that is used to flavour hearty soups, stews, gravies, sauces, legumes, grains or marinades. Varieties include Aka (or red) miso, Hatcho (or aged) miso and Mugi (or barley) miso. There is also a savoury, yet sweet miso known as natto miso, which has a chutney flavour and is used as a table condiment and is also eaten with rice.

Miso should be refrigerated and can be stored for up to a year. It should only be added to food at the end of the cooking process in order to retain its nutrients and to prevent it from curdling - it should never be boiled. As the product is highly concentrated, it should be added only sparingly.