Miso
Fermented soybean paste was invented in China during the Chou Dynasty
(1132-246 BCE) and was the first really successful method to render soybeans
edible - and it also produced a very usable byproduct - tamari soy sauce.
Both these products are too strong in flavor to be used alone, but they have
both become indispensable flavoring ingredients - though most soy sauce is
now made by a different process.
The fermenting technique was taken to Japan around 600 CE and was further
refined there into today's miso. Originally miso was made by fermenting whole
soybeans, but from around 1400 on it has been made from ground soybeans.
Similar products are made in Korea and China but differ in style.
Typically the ingredients are: water, soybeans, rice, salt and alcohol.
Other mixes of grains and/or soybeans and grains are used to make miso.
Fermentation with koji-kin mold (Aspergillus oryzae) ranges in
time from a week to several years.
There are many misos with subtle flavor differences, but for most
purposes you need find only the Shiro, Awase, and Aka Misos shown in the
photo above. These are by far the easiest to find.
More on Products from Beans.
Types of Miso
Shiro Miso
[White Miso] This is one of the three most
common Misos, ranging from pale yellow to light beige. It has a delicate
taste and is slightly sweet. It is used in many recipes where the light
flavor is desirable so as not to overpower other flavors. It is often used
in lighter Miso Soups. It is made from Soybeans and Rice or Barley and has a
shorter fermentation time than other Misos.
Shinsu Miso:
[Yellow Miso] This Miso has a slightly
more intense flavor than Shiro Miso, is a little saltier and more acidic,
and has a slightly darker color. It has uses in many kinds of recipes,
particularly glazes and sauce for roasted meats, but is not common here
in Southern Californa. It is made with more soybeans and barley and less
rice than is Shir Miso.
Awase Miso:
[Dashi Miso, Chuo Miso, Mixed Miso] This
is one of the three most common Misos and is much darker than Shiro Miso but
not as Dark as Aka Miso. It is very popular due to its balanced flavors and
has many uses. Many favor it in Miso Soups, which is why some brands label it
as Dashi Miso. It is a mix of other Misos, usually Shiro and Aka, though
others may be included depending on brand.
Aka Miso:
[Red Miso] This is one of the three most
common Misos. It has the most intense flavor and is a dark, sometimes reddish
brown. It is used in more robust dishes such as stews, braises, glazes, and
with root vegetables and meats. It has higher soybean content and longer
fermentation time than any of the above types, and may have a slightly
grainy texture.
Hatcho Miso:
[Kuro Miso, Black Miso] This miso is
uncommon here in Southern California. It is much darker in color than other
Misos, with the darkest varieties called Kuro Miso (Black Miso). It has
a robust flavor, and is favored by miso enthusiasts. It can be used in any
dish where bolder flavors are appropriate, and is sometimes used mixed
with other Misos. Unlike the other Misos it is made entirely from soybeans
and may be fermented for up to 3 years.
Mugi Miso:
&bsp; [Barley Miso] This miso is uncommon here in
Southern California. It is of lighter color and milder in taste than any other
Miso, and has a lower salt content. It is fermented from soybeans and barley,
with a much higher percentage of barly than for other misos.
Genmai Miso:
This Miso is uncommon here in Southern California.
It has darker, more nutty flavor than other Misos, and a more grainy texture.
It is used in robust recipes such as stews, braises, and marinades. It is made
from soybeans and whole grain brown rice, and fermented longer than even
Aka Miso.
Buying & Storing:
Miso is found in the
refrigerated section of markets serving Japanese and Korean communities
and in other Asian markets. Here in Southern California, Japanese markets
are now nearly extinct, but Korean markets carry a full range of Japanese
culinary items. Miso may be packed in small plastic bags or in tubs. Once
purchased it should be kept refrigerated and if the packages are kept
tightly closed it will be good for at least a year.
Cooking:
The most well known miso dish in the US is miso
soup - most often made with Shiro or Awase Miso. In soup the miso is is
added last and often the soup is not brought back to a full boil after
adding the miso, though I don't find a few seconds of boiling to make
much difference.
Other than that, just follow the directions given for your recipe for
any type of miso and cooking. Health food enthusiasts often don't add
miso to a recipe until it has cooled in order to keep the mold culture
alive, but this is not normally done in Japan or here.
Aside from soup miso is used in some pickles, along with sake as a
marinade for fish and meats, glazes for meats, and as part of the liquid
for braised meats and vegetables. In Japan corn on the cob is often made
by coating the ear lightly with shiro miso, wrapping it in foil and
grilling it.
Health & Nutrition
Miso is high in salt which is necessary to the fermentation process, but
the Miso is strongly flavored and usually not a major part of the recipe -
just skip any other salt.
Miso is not for persons trying to reduce their blood pressure with a salt
free diet. Medical sources say reducing sodium has little effect until nearly
all salt is eliminated from the diet, and doesn't work for all people. Salt
metabolism experts say the salt level recommended by the AHA (American Heart
Association) is possibly dangerously low. They don't worry about it because
that low an intake is very difficult to maintain - especially since salt is
the greatest flavor enhancer in the kitchen repertory.
In my non-medical opinion, the ultra-low salt diet sounds like treating
the symptoms, not the disease, by creating an imbalance so extreme it happens
to counter symptoms of the real problem. As usual, I point to demographics.
Populations that practically live on salt, like Japan, don't seem to have
that much of a high blood pressure problem.
Because natural miso is a long fermented product, it is free from the
toxins and hormone-like substances some soy products are suspected
of and is generally regarded as safe.
Claims that miso contains vitamin B12 (critically deficient in the
vegan diet) have not stood up to scientific investigation. Miso has B
vitamins but not B12, unless it has been contaminated with insects. Miso
has been used as a treatment for radiation sickness, basically
on hear-say evidence since controlled human studies have not been
politically practical since the fall of the Japanese Empire.
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