Marion’s Kitchen miso recipes | Marion's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of miso paste to water? ›

I usually do a ratio of 1 tablespoon of miso to 1 to 1½ cups water." As for white kind of miso to use? Both Leone and Sullivan like sweet white miso for a mellow-tasting soup. "Many restaurants use red misos," Sullivan says, adding that yellows are more earthy.

As a rule of thumb, pairing miso with earthy, woodsy flavors — think winter squashes like pumpkin, kabocha, and butternut; toasty, nutty flavors like brown butter, sesame, chocolate, and caramel; or hearty fruits like apples and bananas — adds its deep, dynamic flavor without being overpoweringly funky or salty.

They are red, white, and awase, or mixed. White miso is the result of miso made with a large percentage of rice, which results in a milder taste and lighter color. Red miso has more soybeans and is often fermented for a longer period of time, which gives it a darker color and stronger flavor.

Soy Sauce/ Aminos

Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.

One tablespoon of miso provides almost one-third of your recommended daily sodium intake. The amount of sodium present may also vary among brands and types of miso. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 2,300 mg of sodium, with the aim of no more than 1,500 mg per day for adults.

The aromatic qualities of miso – as well as some of the nutritional benefits – are damaged when boiled. This is why miso is traditionally stirred in at the final stage of cooking, either over a gentle simmer or heat with turned off.

This comes down to personal preference, although typical additions include crisp or sliced spring onions, tofu, wakame seaweed mushrooms, fish, and/or shellfish. The soup is generally served as a small portion side dish to complement a meal, such as a bowl of rice, sashimi or steak.

The two most popular types of commercially produced miso are shiro (white) miso and aka (red) miso.

Wealthy landowners, royalty or samurai would only eat rice miso that had been made using expensive polished white rice. It was often so expensive that it was used as gifts, or even as currency.

Can miso paste go bad? ›

So, how long can I keep miso? Miso is a “preservative food,” that can be kept for a long period of time due to its salt content. If kept in your refrigerator, miso itself does not go bad. In terms of the quality of the taste, miso should remain relatively consistent for up to one year.

Red miso is the most commonly used miso paste in restaurants but to get even crazier, some mix white or yellow miso with red miso so that you have a dynamic multilayered flavor of umami.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is a culinary staple in Japan, says Sonoko Sakai, chef, cooking teacher, and author of Japanese Home Cooking. It's made using just four ingredients: cooked soybeans, grains (typically rice), salt, and koji mold, a type of fungus scientifically known as Aspergillus oryzae.

Tamari/Coconut Aminos

Both are salty and contain plenty of the same free-forming amino acids (which create that umami flavor) found in miso. For an easy miso substitute, blend a few tablespoons of either tamari or coconut aminos with a can of cooked chickpeas. If desired, season with additional sea salt.

Tamari and tahini have many more differences than they do similarities. Whereas Tamari comes completely from soybeans, tahini is made purely from sesame seeds. Unlike Tamari, tahini involves no fermentation. Instead, it is produced by grinding sesame seeds into a spreadable paste.

Even "simple miso soup" can't consist only of miso paste and water. Dashi (broth) is the key.

Just make sure to dilute your miso with vinegar, water, butter, or some kind of sauce. You don't want to go spreading your whole roasted chicken with clumpy miso straight from the jar. That three-ingredient sauce can go on anything.

* It is to dashi what bouillon cubes are to stock, and, in a pinch, it can be a meal-saver—simply add one teaspoon of the powder to a cup of warm water, and you have your dashi.