Making the Most of Miso

Miso soup is a menu staple in almost every Japanese and Asian fusion restaurant in the country. But chefs outside of Japan have discovered that this fermented soybean paste can lend deep flavor notes to many other recipes, making miso one of the latest food trends. In addition to its many advantages in cooking, miso offers an impressive array of nutrients.

Mold Power

Miso is made by mixing cooked soybeans with water, salt and a fungus, Aspergillus oryzae (called koji), along with grains that have been malted, or germinated, dried and roasted. (Barley, rice, and soybean are the grains most commonly used; others include buckwheat, hemp seed and millet.) The mixture is then left to age.

Different types of malt help explain why Japan boasts of more than 1,300 varieties of miso. Miso also differs by flavor, ranging from sweet to rich, and color, ranging from white to dark brown.

Miso is turning out to be a nutritional powerhouse. It provides significant amounts of vitamin K, vitamins B2 and B6, and choline; iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc; and amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

Miso Magic

What makes miso special from a culinary standpoint is umami, a flavor separate from the traditional foursome of sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Reminiscent of broth, umami gives miso its rich, savory taste.

That appeal has led to more types of miso being available in the US. It's better to buy the tubs of paste versus the powdered stuff; pass on products made with stabilizers and other additives. The fact that miso keeps indefinitely (especially if you press a piece of parchment paper onto the paste surface) means that you can keep several kinds on hand without having to worry about them turning rancid in the back of the fridge.

So what type (or types) of miso should you buy?

Sweet miso's light color and flavor make it versatile, particularly as a dairy replacement in creamed soups; you can also blend it with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs for a tasty salad dressing.

When you're looking for a heartier flavor in stews and similar foods, go with dark miso. It can also be used as the basis of sauces for root vegetables or winter squash, or to add a protein jolt to casseroles based on beans and veggies.

Here are other ways to use this adaptable ingredient:

• Blend miso into butter as a flavorful coating for corn or green beans, or to slather onto toast.
• Miso can also be blended into honey or mayo and used as dips and a sandwich spread.
• Pair white miso with firm tofu as a cheese substitute sprinkled on pizza or added to sandwiches. Or you can purée the miso and tofu with lemon juice for a vegan sour cream.
• Unpasteurized miso can be added to marinade, where it will help tenderize animal protein or break down tough vegetable fibers.
• The earthiness of genmai (brown rice) miso pairs well with raw vegetables; add it to your next crudité platter.
• Add nuts to light miso for a high-style PB&J.
• And yes, miso is an excellent addition to soups of all kinds, such as chicken noodle.

As nutritious as it is delicious, miso should find a place of honor in every serious cook's pantry.

Miso-Glazed Black Cod

This recipe, seen on menus at the most exclusive of Japanese restaurants, is very easy to make. Broiling the cod on one side only caramelizes the top while creating a juicy interior.

3 tbsp white miso paste

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet wine)

2 tbsp sake

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 (7 oz) black cod fillets

Yields 2 servings

Source: courtesy of Allrecipes.com