Miso - Not just for miso soup
Miso plays a vital part in Japanese cuisine, appearing regularly in sauces, glazes, marinades and dressings. Made of soybeans fermented with koji (fermented rice, or in some cases, wheat) and salt, miso gives anything it touches a rich and flavorful boost.
As a bonus, it’s also full of nutrients, beneficial enzymes and protein.There are many kinds of miso available in Japanese grocery stores today, as you can see in Kyoto’s markets and shops.
There’s miso with dashi already included, low salt miso, organic miso and aged miso. There are also different kinds of miso, which vary radically in flavor and that are used for various purposes.
White miso, or Shiro miso, is light beige in color andhas a creamy, smooth texture. The salt content is quite low, and it is a good choice for making creamy sauces. Some white miso pastes are sweet, particularly Saikyo miso, which is made in Kyoto and Osaka. The sweet flavor is incomparable, and since the price is pretty steep, it is usually reserved for sauces; not soup.
Awase miso is a blend of red and white miso, as its name (meaning “to mix”) implies. This is the most common type of miso and is the kind that is usually served in restaurants the world over. The flavor is salty and not overpowering, making it a good base for almost any kind of soup or sauce, dressing or marinade. If you are only going to buy one kindof miso, this is a good place to start.
Inaka, or “country” miso, is a chunky and rustic style that includes bits of the koji. It is dark caramel in color. When making soup, the koji is usually strained out with a miso koshi (a handy tool used to dissolve miso) and discarded.
Creamy Miso Dressing (Serves 4)
Mix 2 tablespoons of Saikyo miso (or white miso) with 1 tablespoon of neri goma (roasted white sesame paste).
The mixtures will be very thick. Gradually add dashi (broth), one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is the consistency of cream sauce.
The miso dressing will be a good accompaniment for almost any vegetables (often steamed or lightly boiled): carrot, potato, beans, radish as
well as going on grilled eggplant, roasted chilies or even chicken. Leftover sauce can be kept in the fridge for a few days.