although miso has become more and more common in our american food vernacular, expanding its appearances in grocery stores across our great nation, for most americans, the ignorance and fear factor remain at an all time high. the color descriptions of miso - red, yellow and white - might as well be levels of security alert. for most of us, miso is little more than the freebie soup that comes with dinner at a japanese restaurant. we're not really sure what makes miso soup "miso soup". we're not sure what fermented soybean paste is. and we tend to not know what to do with it if we ever take the leap and buy a jar at the store and throw it in our fridge. okay so i have a tub of miso. now what? and the basic miso soup recipe calls for a tablespoon or two? if we figure out how to make the dashi broth that is the foundation of miso soup and actually make some from scratch, we still have most of a tub of miso. so, really, now what?
first things first. think of miso as a condiment. use it in soup, use it in salad dressings, marinades and spreads. it adds flavor and texture and a whole lot of healthy benefits.
okay, so what is miso? miso is a fermented paste made from rice, barley or soybeans. the taste and color will vary based on what grain is used and the fermentation process. this is why there are so many types of miso, some are very tangy and very salty, some are far milder, some even taste slightly sweet. experiment, find the miso that suits your palette best.
alright, why is miso so good for you?
first of all, miso contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein
it is a powerful digestive aid - it stimulates the secretion of digestive fluids, restores probiotics to the intestines, and aids in the digestion and stimulation of food in the intestines
miso is a good source of b vitamins and high in antioxidants, it strengthens the immune system and lowers LDL cholesterol
miso can protect against radiation
most importantly, miso has been shown to help prevent against breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers
so, everyone should have a little miso in their lives. or a lot of miso. and it's pretty darn easy to make that happen. miso soups can be far more than just some tofu and scallions floating in a salty, cloudy broth. here is a little soup i came up with using vegetables that were in season at the market:
miso soup with leeks, chinese mustard greens and sunburst squash
4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 cup hijiki seaweed (dried)
1 small bunch of leeks, cleaned and sliced
1/2 bunch chinese mustard greens, cleaned and chopped
2 small sunburst squash, sliced
1/2 cup white miso (you can use more or less depending on your taste)
fill a large pot with 6 cups of water. add garlic and hijiki, bring to a boil.
add leeks, greens and squash, return to a boil, then simmer about 10 minutes.
add miso, one tablespoon at a time, let it dissolve, allow soup to simmer for just a minute or two.*
remove from heat and enjoy.
*the key to miso soup is not allowing the miso to boil - it will compromise both the flavor and the nutritional and healing properties of the miso
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