Miso
Miso (みそ or 味噌) is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus kōjikin (麹菌), the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup called misoshiru (味噌汁), a Japanese culinary staple. High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, miso played an important nutritional role in feudal Japan. Miso is still very widely used in Japan, both in traditional and modern cooking, and has been gaining world-wide interest. Miso is typically salty, but its flavor and aroma depend on various factors in the ingredients and fermentation process. Different varieties of miso have been described as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, and savory, and there is a very wide variety of miso available.
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History
The predecessor of miso originated in China during the 3rd century BC or earlier, and it is probable that this, together with related fermented soy-based foods, was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism in the 6th century AD.[1] This fermented food was called "Shi".
Until the Muromachi era, miso was made without grinding the soybeans, somewhat like natto. In the Kamakura era, a common meal was made up of a bowl of rice, some dried fish, a serving of miso, and a fresh vegetable. In the Muromachi era, Buddhist monks discovered that soybeans could be ground into a paste, spawning new cooking methods where miso was used to flavor other foods. Miso was also used as military provision during the Sengoku era and making miso was an important economic factor for daimyos of that era.
During the Edo period miso was also called hishio and kuki.
In modern times miso is produced industrially in large quantities and traditional homemade miso has become a rarity.
Flavor
The taste, aroma, texture, and appearance of miso vary by region and season. Other important variables that contribute to the flavor a particular miso include temperature, duration of fermentation, salt content, variety of kōji, and fermenting vessel. The most common flavor categories of miso are:
- Shiromiso, "white miso"
- Akamiso, "red miso"
- Awasemiso, "mixed miso"
- Hatchomiso[2]
Although white and red (shiromiso and akamiso) are the most common types of miso available, different varieties may be preferred in particular regions of Japan. In the eastern Kantō region that includes Tokyo, the darker brownish akamiso is popular while the western Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe prefer the lighter shiromiso. Hatchomiso is favored in the Tokai area.
Ingredients
The ingredients used to produce miso may include any mix of soybeans, barley, rice, buckwheat, millet, rye, wheat, hemp seed, and cycad, among others. Lately, producers in other countries have also begun selling miso made from chickpeas, corn, azuki beans, amaranth, and quinoa. Fermentation time ranges from as little as five days to several years. The wide variety of Japanese miso is difficult to classify, but is commonly done by grain type, color, taste, and background.
- mugi (麦): barley
- tsubu (粒): whole wheat/barley
- genmai (玄米): brown rice
- moromi (醪): chunky, healthy (kōji is unblended)
- nanban (南蛮): mixed with hot chili pepper for dipping sauce
- taima (大麻): hemp seed
- sobamugi (蕎麦): buckwheat
- hadakamugi (裸麦): rye
- nari (蘇鉄): made from cycad pulp, Buddhist temple diet
- gokoku (五穀): "5 grain": soy, wheat, barley, proso millet, and foxtail millet
Many regions have their own specific variation on the miso standard. For example, the soybeans used in Sendai miso are much more coarsely mashed than in normal soy miso.
Miso made with rice such as shinshu and shiro are called kome miso.
Storage and preparation
Miso typically comes as a paste in a sealed container requiring refrigeration after opening. Natural miso is a living food containing many beneficial microorganisms which can be killed by over-cooking. For this reason, it is recommended for miso to be added to soups or other foods being prepared just before they are removed from the heat. Using miso without any cooking may be even better.[3] Outside of Japan, a popular practice is to only add miso to foods that have cooled in order to preserve kōjikin cultures in miso. Nonetheless miso and soy foods play a large role in the Japanese diet and many cooked miso dishes are popularly consumed.
Usage
Miso is a part of many Japanese-style meals. It most commonly appears as the main ingredient of miso soup, which is eaten daily by much of the Japanese population. The pairing of plain rice and miso soup is considered a fundamental unit of Japanese cuisine. This pairing is the basis of a traditional Japanese breakfast.
Miso is used in many other types of soup and souplike dishes, including some kinds of ramen, udon, nabe, and imoni. Generally, such dishes have the title miso prepended to their name (for example, miso-udon), and have a heavier, earthier flavor and aroma compared to other Japanese soups that are not miso-based.
Many traditional confections use a sweet, thick miso glaze, such as mochidango. Miso glazed treats are strongly associated with Japanese festivals, although they are available year-round at supermarkets. The consistency of miso glaze ranges from thick and taffy-like to thin and drippy.
Soy miso is used to make a type of pickle called "misozuke".[4] These pickles are typically made from cucumber, daikon, hakusai, or eggplant, and are sweeter and less salty than the standard Japanese salt pickle.
Other foods with miso as an ingredient include:
- dengaku (sweetened miso used for grilling)
- yakimochi (charcoal-grilled miso covered mochi)
- miso braised vegetables or mushrooms
- marinades: fish or chicken can be marinated in miso and sake overnight to be grilled.
- corn on the cob in Japan is usually coated with shiro miso, wrapped in foil and grilled.
- sauces: sauces like misoyaki (a variant on teriyaki) are common.
Nutrition and health
The nutritional benefits of miso have been widely touted by commercial enterprises and home cooks alike.
Claims that miso is high in vitamin B12 have been contradicted in some studies.[5] Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that some soy products are high in B vitamins (though not necessarily B12) and some, such as soy milk, may be fortified with vitamin B12.
Some, especially proponents of healthful eating, suggest that miso can help treat radiation sickness, citing cases in Japan and Russia where people have been fed miso after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Notably, Japanese doctor Shinichiro Akizuki, director of Saint Francis Hospital in Nagasaki during World War II, theorized that miso helps protect against radiation sickness.[6]
Some experts suggest that miso is a source of Lactobacillus acidophilus.[7] Lecithin, a kind of phospholipid caused by fermentation, which is effective in the prevention of high blood pressure. However, miso is also relatively high in salt which can contribute to increased blood pressure in the small percentage of the population with sodium-sensitive pre-hypertension or hypertension. Based on the other results of double-blind controlled studies of sodium and hypertension, there is no definitive evidence that high sodium intake leads to negative clinical conditions such as hypertension in healthy persons. Clinical evidence indicates wide-population heterogeneity in response to sodium.[8][9][10]
See also
- Soy sauce
- Doenjang
- Dajiang
- Fermented bean paste
- Yellow soybean paste
- Marukome
References
Footnotes
- ↑ Albala, Ken (2007). Beans: a history. Berg Publishers. p. 216. ISBN 1845204301. http://books.google.com/books?id=OjJlNsYgdGAC&pg=216#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
- ↑ Hatcho Miso - Traditional Miso manufacture in Okazaki
- ↑ Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko (2001). The book of miso: savory, high-protein seasoning. Soyinfo Center. p. 48. ISBN 1580083366. http://books.google.com/books?id=N3EJorOxXtsC&pg=PA48&dq=heat+microorganisms#v=onepage&q=heat%20microorganisms&f=false.
- ↑ W4E: Misozuke Recipe (Japanese miso pickle) | Japan
- ↑ Vitamin B12 information sheet
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ Luft FC, Rankin LI, Block R et al. Cardiovascular and humoral responses to extremes of sodium intake in normal black and white men. Circulation 1979; 60: 697–706.
- ↑ Miller JZ, Weinberger MH, Daugherty SA et al. Heterogeneity of blood pressure responses to dietary sodium restriction in normotensive adults. Journal of Chronic Diseases, 1987; 40: 245–250.
- ↑ Luft FC, McCarron DA. Heterogeneity of hypertension: the diverse role of electrolyte intake. Annual Reviews of Medicine, 1991; 42: 347–355.
Notations
- Farnworth, Edward R. (2003). Handbook of Fermented Functional Foods. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-1372-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=0pHBOjhq_P4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
- Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko (2001). The book of miso: savory, high-protein seasoning. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1-58008-336-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=N3EJorOxXtsC&pg=frontpage#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
- Katz, Sandor Ellix (2003). Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. ISBN 1-931498-23-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=qCMmXAp237cC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
External links
- Miso Online Japan Miso Promotion Board
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