Miso, art and tradition

Cinzia Cuneo October 27, 2012 Recipes, World Cuisine

Miso is a fermented paste made from soybeans, sea salt, with or without the addition of a cereal (rice, barley or buckwheat). An essential food in Japanese cuisine, miso was known in China for almost 2,500 years by the name of “chiang”. It was a Buddhist monk who introduced it to Japan in the 7th century. In the following century, the imperial court of Japan already had a ministry for food security, in which miso occupied an important position!

Making miso is a complex art, almost as tricky as making cheese or wine. Miso normally contains all the essential amino acids, it is rich in B-complex vitamins, and its unpasteurized version is laden with lactobacilli and food enzymes. So it can be considered as a food in itself.

It is used mainly for making soups by diluting it in a broth, as a seasoning in marinades, or as a sauce to give flavour to vegetables or tofu.

Try some of our recipes that are featuring miso:

• Chicken Chow Mein

• Japanese Soup with Noodles and Seaweed

• Miso Broth

• Oriental-Style Marinated Salmon

• Sesame-Glazed Aubergine

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on October 27, 2012.

Author

Cinzia Cuneo

Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!