Beyond Soup: 5 Uses for Miso

February 22, 2010

Like many food lovers, the strangest things make me hungry. Like the Olympics. Ok, perhaps that's not too much of a stretch-- watching feats of endurance always works up a bit of an appetite-- but that's not what I'm talking about.

The Olympics have reminded me of a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver, The Naam. Their miso gravy is to-die for, which made me wonder what other great uses for miso there are.

Miso is made from fermented grain or soybeans, salt and kojikin, a fungus also used to brew soy sauce and sake. Miso falls into three basic categories: komemiso, made with rice and soybeans; mugimiso, made from barley or rye and soybeans; and mamemiso, made from soybeans alone. Varying the fermentation time, the amount of salt and the strain of kojikin creates further variety: shiromiso (white miso), akamiso (red miso), awasemiso (mixed miso) and hatchomiso, the richest, thickest variety.

Miso has a full-bodied, savory taste that adds rich umami to dishes; it's a fabulous way to add extra flavor without calories and fat. Miso is very high in sodium-- one ounce has 52% of the RDA-- but a little goes a long way: just a teaspoon with provide a punch of flavor.

Miso gravy. The NAAM restaurant in Vancouver, BC makes the most delicious miso gravy. (http://www.examiner.com/x-30521-Vancouver-GlutenFree-Food-Examiner~y2009m11d23-The-NAAM-Miso-Gravy-is-perfect-for-your-Thanksgiving-Feast-and-its-glutenfree)

Miso salad dressing

Miso marinade (http://www.foodista.com/recipe/RKNR7VVJ/miso-marinade);

Miso butter (http://www.foodista.com/recipe/QTP766WP/miso-butter)

Miso Risotto (http://www.foodista.com/recipe/57W35Q5F/miso-risotto)

Eggplant in particular works well with miso (http://www.foodista.com/recipe/6PP3V2XX/eggplant-with-miso), as its porous interior soaks up flavor like a sponge. http://www.foodista.com/recipe/3LN2F2VC/miso-eggplant-gratin

Miso pesto http://www.foodista.com/recipe/NZZDFNTK/spinach-miso-pesto

Like many food lovers, the strangest things make me hungry. For instance, the Olympics. Ok, perhaps that's not too much of a stretch-- watching feats of endurance always works up a bit of an appetite-- but that's not what I'm talking about. The Olympics remind me of a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver, The Naam; their miso gravy is to-die for, and completely changed what I thought was possible with miso. Miso is made from fermented grain or soybeans, salt and kojikin, a fungus also used to brew soy sauce and sake. Miso falls into three basic categories: komemiso, made with rice and soybeans; mugimiso, made from barley or rye and soybeans; and mamemiso, made from soybeans alone. Varying the fermentation time, the amount of salt and the strain of kojikin creates further variety: shiromiso (white miso), akamiso (red miso), awasemiso (mixed miso) and hatchomiso, the richest, thickest variety.

Miso has a full-bodied, savory taste that perks up dull foods with its rich umami; it's a fabulous way to add extra flavor without calories and fat. Miso isn't an amazing source of vitamins or minerals, and is high in sodium, but a little goes a long way: just a teaspoon provides an incredible punch of flavor, for only 10 calories. Prior to my life-changing miso gravy experience, I had never really thought much about miso other than as a tasty precursor to sushi, but there are a variety of uses. Here are 5.

Miso marinade. Miso works very well as a marinade for fish, vegetables, meat or tofu.
Miso Risotto. Miso adds a creamy nuttiness to vegan risotto that cheese might otherwise provide.
Miso + eggplant. Eggplant works amazingly well with miso, as its porous interior soaks up flavor like a sponge. Try it sauteed or baked in a creamy gratin.
Miso pesto. Miso subs for cheese and olive oil to make a healthier pest o sauce for pasta or gnocchi.
Miso butter. Ok, we've been touting miso as a low-cal flavor wonder, but this recipe from Momofuko is anything but. Still, it's delicious-- try it on corn for an unusual Japanese flavor combination.