Like all our plant foods, and particularly fermented ones, miso has numerous vitamins and minerals (and protein!) and many health benefits, but that’s not why I want to talk about it (today :) ).  For now I just want to talk about it because it’s delicious!  :)  And a critical component of any vegan cook’s pantry.  (Well, I would say ANY cook’s pantry really.  :) )

Miso soup. Thanks to Creative Commons, original here.

Most people have heard of miso soup, but what is miso actually?  It is a traditional Japanese fermented seasoning that comes in a thick paste, that lends a salty-sweet-indescribable flavor element to any dish.  The flavor varies depending on the type of miso.  The most common is white miso, which has that sweet component.  Others may have less of it, so I recommend trying different types and seeing what you really love.  The different types and flavors come from dozens of different methods and ingredients for actually making the miso.  The most common base is soy, but barley and rice are also possible, as well as a number of other grains.

I have yet to actually make miso soup, but miso makes a regular appearance in so many other recipes to just add that salty-sweet-something-extra flavor.  It lasts for ages in the fridge, so it’s always worth having some on hand.  Try mixing some in to your favorite stir-fry, dressing, or marinade and see what happens!

Recipes

1. I adored these miso vinaigrette snow peas.

2. Whole Foods has a ginger miso dressing that I can’t get enough of.  (I may have spent a bit too long at that sampling table a few too many times.  Maybe.)  I made up my own miso dressing here that really took this dish to something special.

3. I may have to skip regular miso soup entirely and jump right to trying this ginger-lemongrass version.  NOM! :)

Enjoy!!