The new ingredient for your must-eat list

Mushroom and miso soup.

Mushroom and miso soup.

Published Apr 12, 2016

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London - Its brown-sludge looks and past reputation as a virtuous food championed by vegan newagers might not put miso - Japanese fermented soybean paste - at the top of your must-eat list.

But you'd be missing out. Inspired by the spread of Japanese and “clean” cuisine, growing numbers of chefs and home cooks are discovering that umami-rich miso is a perfect way to instantly add savoury flavour and nutrition to food. Almost too good to be true, this ancient all-purpose seasoning is fast becoming a staple as indispensable as pesto or Marmite.

You're now likely to spot it in the recipes of food writers such as Nigel Slater, Diana Henry and Yotam Ottolenghi and of TV chefs including James Martin and Jamie Oliver. And it's infusing the menus not just of Japanese restaurants but of those run by Simon Rogan, Anna Hansen, Marcus Wareing and Stevie Parle.

“One of the great things about miso is its versatility,” says Bonnie Chung, a food blogger turned miso geek who spent three years travelling in Japan to create the ultimate paste, which this week launches in Selfridges. “Miso lends fantastic umami depth to anything from a soup to a salad dressing, a piece of fish or a meat stew. You can even use it as a twist on salted caramel in desserts such as ice-cream.”

Miso is, essentially, a paste combining soybeans with a grain such as rice or barley, salt, water, and a bacterial culture. The mixture is slowly fermented in cedarwood kegs. As with other fermented foods, the longer it's fermented the more complex the flavour and darker the colour. So pastes range from mild and creamy white miso (aged a few months) to pungent, beefy, dark ones (think Bovril), fermented for up to three years.

The fact that it's fermented has made miso the darling of healthy-eating bloggers such as the Hemsley sisters and Ella Woodward. Like other fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, miso contains live good bacteria, which help maintain a healthy gut. Being made from soya, it's also a fantastic source of protein.

In Japan, this process of fermentation is an ancient and revered art, with each region (and even household) having its own time-tested methods. “The great thing for the home cook is that all the hard work has been done for you in Japan,” says Chung, whose book on miso comes out in August. “You just have to know how to use it.”

So how do you use this miracle ingredient? The Japanese poet Nanao Sakaki wrote that “Everything starts from miso soup”, and he's right. If you're new to miso, soup is definitely the place to begin as it's both supremely nourishing and easy to make. Although the Japanese traditionally make it with dashi stock (from bonito and seaweed), it's also great with chicken or vegetable stock or even just hot water (but be sure not to boil it). To beef it up, throw in noodles, cabbage, dried mushrooms or raw fish. It really is the perfect pick-me-up fast food at any time of day. Who knows? You may soon be eating it for breakfast, as the Japanese do, along with rice and pickles.

Another easy way of using miso is to combine it with butter to smear over vegetables. It's fantastic, too, blended with walnuts and served with fried aubergine (an Ottolenghi favourite) or green beans (one of Chung's favourites).

Chung also loves it mixed with coconut butter and honey and spread on breakfast toast. (“Be careful; this becomes addictive,” she warns.) White miso (actually a sandy colour) is best for this. Use that, too, for dressings for salads and slaws; the Hemsleys combine it with tahini, another product that's fast becoming mainstream, along with ginger and lemon juice. For a flavoursome vegan dish, try making the Japanese classic nasu dengaku (miso-grilled aubergine). Or combine miso with rice vinegar and sake to make a Japanese-style hollandaise to accompany asparagus, just coming into season now.

As you get the hang of miso, graduate to a stronger red one, which will give salty, malty, umami depth to stews, soups or marinades. A sticky red miso glaze on pork ribs or chicken wings is hard to beat. For a taste explosion, make a sweet sauce from hatcho to go with duck - Japan's answer to hoisin.

Whether you're a keen cook or a grab-what-you-can-out-of-the-fridge eater, a pot of miso paste could be your secret weapon. Few foods pack in such intense flavour while also being easy to use. Pesto and Marmite, move over. Miso is the new kid on the culinary block.

 

The the misos you're most likely to find.

Rice miso: Sweet white miso (saikyo)

Fermented: 3-4 months

Flavour: Delicate, mildly sweet, almost custardy.

Use for: Desserts; hollandaise; miso-grilled aubergine (nasu dengaku).

Used in Nobu's famous black cod with miso dish.

 

White miso (shiro): Light golden yellow paste with a creamy richness - great for the beginner

Fermented: 6-12 months

Flavour: Similar to sweet white, but more umami without being tangy.

Use for: Light soups; sauces; mashed potato; salad dressings; marinades for vegetables, grilled fish and roasted poultry; desserts such as ice cream.

 

Red miso: (aka) Pungent-tasting mahogany-coloured paste

Fermented: At least a year.

Flavour: Salty and tangy, with a strong, intense, umami flavour.

Use for: Soups, hearty braises, stews, dark sauces, marinades.

 

Brown rice miso (genmai): A relatively new miso, developed as a health product as it contains more nutrients than white rice miso. Clearspring makes a good organic one.

Fermented: At least a year

Flavour: Deep, complex, nutty, similar to barley miso.

Use for: Same dishes as red miso.

 

Barley Miso Mugi: The less polished cousin of rice miso (which in the past only the Japanese rich could afford) and a little darker in colour. Often dubbed “country miso”.

Fermented: 1-2 years

Flavour: Less sweet than rice miso, with a richer, deeper, fruitier flavour, but still mild enough to be used in a wide variety of dishes.

Use for: Soups, sauces, beans, baked dishes.

 

Soybean miso Hatcho King of the misos, the equivalent of a vintage or extra-mature cheese.

Made purely from soybeans, its long fermentation results in a dark, firm paste resembling chocolate fudge.

With its high protein content, it has sustained Japan's samurai as well as Japanese expeditions to the South Pole. Made only in Okazaki City.

Fermented: Up to three years.

Flavour: The most pungent of the lot, with great umami.

Use for: Robust stews, soups and marinades, or combine with other misos.

 

Grilled green bean salad with roast walnut miso dressing

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

as a side dish

50g walnut halves

2 tablespoons white miso

2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons caster sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce 2

50g green beans, trimmed

Salt

A little olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark three. Toast the walnuts on a tray in the oven for 5 minutes until golden, taking care not to burn them. Remove and leave to cool.

Mix the miso with the mirin, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Preheat the grill to medium. Cook the green beans in salted boiling water for 3 minutes until al dente, then brush with olive oil and grill for 1 minute until slightly charred.

Once the walnuts are cold, pulse in a food processor for 20 seconds; you still want some crumbly texture, so be careful they do not become too fine. Mix with the miso sauce, adding a little water to loosen the mixture.

When you are ready to serve, toss the green beans and walnut miso in a mixing bowl until the beans are well covered in dressing.

The Independent

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