miso

miso, cultured, fermented paste and seasoning made of soybeans and other ingredients and used as the base for soups and sauces in Japanese cuisine.

Miso is probably a borrowing from a Chinese condiment by way of Korean cuisine. Related to soy sauce, miso is a paste typically composed of steamed soybeans, a grain such as rice or rye, salt, and koji, which is a steamed grain, usually rice, or beans to which Aspergillus oryzae mold has been added. The koji is then fermented and used as a starter culture for soy sauce, sake, and miso. Miso made of rice and soybeans is called kome miso, while miso made of barley and soybeans is mugi miso. It is estimated that there are at least 1,000 varieties of miso, although only a few regularly figure in Japanese household cuisine. Many of these varieties have their basis in the kind of rice used: white rice yields white miso, and red rice yields red miso.

Miso, a staple in any Japanese pantry, is used in many ways. It is the basis for miso soup, a traditional first course in Japanese restaurants around the world. Miso soup is usually a simple preparation of miso paste and water, often topped with sliced scallions. The soup can be made more elaborate with the addition of vegetables, udon noodles, slices of beef or boiled eggs, and the like. Miso is also used as a salad dressing, a simmering liquid for numerous dishes, and an ingredient in the brining liquid used to pickle various vegetables.

Miso varieties fall into two broad categories, sweet and salty. In general, sweet varieties are light in colour, while salty varieties, fermented for a long time, are dark. Both are characterized by a rich, earthy, umami flavour. In warm climates, such as that of Okinawa, miso can be fermented quickly, while in colder areas of Japan, such as Hokkaido, the fermentation process can last two years or more. When the fermentation is complete, the miso is ground into a paste. Dried varieties are available for sale, but in Japan the paste form is preferred, and it keeps well for a year or more when refrigerated.

Miso is believed to be beneficial to health because of its antioxidant properties and probiotics, although, because it is high in sodium, nutritionists recommend that it be used in moderation.