Miso Paste

Introduction: Miso Paste

If there is one chef-restaurant secret you simply must bring home, it is miso (in Hebrew, “משחת מיסו”). It is a traditional Japanese paste made by long fermentation of soybeans (or sometimes barley, rice and other legumes) with sea salt and a unique fermentation mold called koji. This process, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to years, breaks the soy proteins down into free amino acids and creates a fermented paste bursting with live probiotics. The result is a “meaty”, deep, salty (umami) flavor that adds incredible complexity to any dish, even a fully vegan one. Most of us know miso only from thin Japanese soup, but its potential in the home kitchen is endless.

Nutritional and health benefits

Digestion and live probiotics

The long fermentation process makes miso a great source of good bacteria (probiotics) and beneficial fungi. Regular intake of unpasteurized (live) miso helps balance the gut flora (the microbiome), improves digestion, may reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and strengthen the local immune system in the gut. Fermentation also breaks down the phytic acid in the original soybeans, so minerals become far more available for absorption in the body.

Free amino acids and tissue building

Miso, as mentioned, provides complete protein that has already been broken down into bioavailable amino acids. Prominent among them is glutamic acid, which is responsible for the powerful umami taste, but also serves as an important neurotransmitter in the brain and takes part in energy pathways.

Antioxidants and protection against radiation

The fermented soybeans in miso are rich in isoflavones such as genistein. Epidemiological studies in Japan have consistently shown that traditional miso soup intake is associated with a reduced risk of several types of cancer (such as breast cancer and prostate cancer), and it also protects cells from free radicals and even radiation damage, as documented after tragic events in Japan in which survivors who ate miso showed better immune recovery.

Side effects and warnings worth knowing

• High sodium levels: Concentrated miso paste contains quite a lot of salt, used in the fermentation process to suppress harmful bacteria. While a single teaspoon won’t do harm, people with chronic high blood pressure should plan their overall sodium intake when they add miso in place of other salt in a dish.
• Soy sensitivity: Traditional miso is based on soy, so people allergic to soy must look for “chickpea miso” or miso based on other soy-free legumes (many of which are now made by craft producers).

Culinary use: “the winning pair”

Using miso doesn’t end with classic soup with tofu cubes. It is the ultimate seasoning base:

• How to choose? (My recommendation): I found you the winning organic pair from Eden Foods (which is also kosher):
  1. Light miso (Shiro): A shorter fermentation time and a sweetish, delicate taste. Excellent and spot-on for light salad dressings (try mixing half a teaspoon with sesame oil, rice vinegar and a little maple), or as a delicate glaze for baked fish.
  2. Dark miso (Genmai or Hatcho): Usually based on a combination of brown rice or whole soybeans with a very long fermentation time (up to 3 years). It gives incredible dark, salty depth to casseroles, vegan “beef” sauces and heavy Asian stir-fries.
• The iron rule (don’t boil it!): To preserve the live probiotics in miso (unpasteurized miso from the refrigerator), add it only at the end of cooking. For example, turn off the heat under the soup or stew, dissolve the teaspoon of miso in a small bowl with a little warm (not boiling) water, and then pour it back into the pot. This way you get rich flavor alongside maximum health value.

Summary

Miso is a hidden treasure from the Far East that belongs in every modern Western refrigerator. It solves the problem of “blandness” in many vegetarian and vegan dishes — one teaspoon changes the whole dish — and along the way it equips the gut with friendly bacteria and amino acids that help restore the body. Once you know its power, it is hard to imagine the kitchen without it.