Miso, Japanese Wonder Food! By Robert Oser Long a staple of the Japanese culinary tradition, miso is quickly becoming a popular food in the United States and other parts of the Western world. Tasty, healthful and versatile, miso is available in many flavors and varieties and makes a wonderful addition, not only to soups but also to sauces, stir-fries or as a flavoring condiment in both traditional Asian dishes as well as being used imaginatively in foods from other cultures, such as gravies, barbecue sauce and so on. In Japan, miso soup is often enjoyed at breakfast and the digestive properties of the microbes cultured in miso paste help to break down and digest the foods eaten throughout the rest of the day. Commonly known as Japanese “chicken soup” because of its healing properties, miso is often used when sick or sluggish to restore vitality to the body. Miso paste is prepared by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans with salt and the fungus kojikin. Aged, depending on type of miso being made, for from 5 days to several years, the resultant paste is used not only for soups but for pickling meats and vegetables and in flavorful sauces. Miso is still very widely enjoyed in Japan but has spread to other cultures and is enjoyed by much of the world. Miso is typically very salty but its flavor and aroma vary according to the ingredients used. The predecessor of miso originated in China during the 3rd century BC or earlier, and it is probable that this, together with related fermented soy-based foods, was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism in the 6th century AD. This fermented food is called "Shi". Originally made with unground soybeans, in the Muromachi era Buddhist monks discovered that soybeans could be ground into a paste, spawning new cooking methods where miso was used to flavor other foods. In the modern era, the industrial method of producing miso in large quantities was established and it became rare to make miso at home. The taste, aroma, texture, and appearance of any specific miso vary by miso type as well as the region and season for which the miso was made. The ingredients used, temperature and duration of fermentation, salt content, variety of koji, and fermenting vessel all contribute. The most common flavor categories of miso are: Shiromiso, "white miso" Akamiso, "red miso" Awasemiso, "mixed miso" Hatchomiso “brown miso” Traditionally lighter “white” misos are said to have a cooling effect on the body and are enjoyed in warmer climates or seasons. Darker “red” and ‘brown” misos are used to heat the body during colder weathers or in cooler climates. Modern methods of making miso also allow for more variety and hemp, chile peppers, scallions, dandelion as well as other grains from amaranth to quinoa are now added to miso preparation to create new flavors and varieties of miso. Miso typically comes as a paste in a sealed container, and should be refrigerated after opening. It can be eaten raw, and cooking changes its flavor and nutritional value; when used in miso soup, most cooks do not allow the miso to come to a full boil. Some people, especially those outside of Japan, go so far as to only add miso to preparations after they have cooled, to preserve the biological activity of the kojikin. If kept tightly sealed and not allowed to dry out, miso will keep in the refrigerator for many years and maintain its health benefits and flavor. Nutritionally, besides the wonderful digestive enzymes, miso is high in protein and B vitamins, often including, due to the fermentation process, significant quantities of B-12. Part of the digestive benefits of miso may be attributed to high levels of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, the same digestive culture found in yogurt, that grow during the fermentation process. Studies in Japan of patients exposed to fallout from Hiroshima and Nagasaki show promise in using miso to treat radiation poisoning. Miso may be added to any soup to impart nutritional benefits and flavor. To give you some ideas here is a fairly traditional miso soup recipe: Miso Soup (serves 6) 1 small yellow onion, chopped 4-6 mushrooms, sliced into “T” shapes 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil (optional) 1 small carrot, cut into thin half-moons or sticks 3-4 scallions, chopped 1 or 2 small bok choy or 2 cups napa cabbage, chopped 2 cups mung bean sprouts ½ cup snow peas, strings removed and sliced diagonally 1 lb. firm tofu, cut into small cubes 2-3 cloves garlic, minced About 2 quarts vegetable stock or water ½ cup (more or less, to taste) miso In a large pot, saute’ onion and mushrooms in sesame oil for 2-3 minutes or simply skip this step and add onion and mushrooms to the stock with rest of vegetables. Add stock , carrots, bok choy (or napa cabbage), and garlic and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until carrots are fairly tender. Add tofu, bean sprouts and snow peas and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes. Reduce heat below the boiling point.* In a separate bowl gently whisk miso with an equal amount of stock or water, until miso is dissolved. Add mixture to the stock and vegetables and continue to cook on low temperature about 3 more minutes. Serve, garnished perhaps with a couple of cilantro leaves, a sprinkle of crushed red pepper or a couple of strands of wakame sea vegetable soaked for a couple of minutes in water. Enjoy! Variations: Wonderful additions might include hiziki or arame sea vegetable, bamboo shoots, a dash of ginger juice or a little crushed lemon grass. Try different varieties of miso. Some are stronger (or saltier) than others. For a heartier soup, add cooked udon, soba or rice noodles to the finished soup. * Miso contains some wonderfully healthful living organisms that live in your digestive tract and help you digest food. Boiling miso or cooking at too high a temperature will destroy the benefits, so always add miso toward the end of the cooking time, after the heat has been lowered.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:45:11 +0000
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