Miso a pantry powerhouse
Umami-packed paste can factor in to everyday recipes
When we talk about umami, red meat, mushrooms and soy sauce often come to mind. But there’s another widely used, intense ingredient that packs a major umami punch: miso. The fermented paste is most known for flavoring soup, but it’s a seasoning powerhouse with tons of range.
“There are countless varieties of miso, made with a variety of grains and beans — including rice, barley, wheat, millet, adzuki beans, and garbanzo beans — that undergo fermentation with salt and koji (the mold Aspergillus oryzae),” Sonoko Sakai wrote in “Japanese Home Cooking.” A combination of rice and soybeans is one of the more common bases for miso, which can ferment from about six months to a few years.
Miso is most commonly associated with Japanese cuisine, but its origins trace back to China, and you can find versions of the ingredient across Asia, Sakai told me over a video call. She remembers trying a version from Laos that included chile peppers. “I’d never tasted anything so spicy. This was a real discovery,” she said.
And the category of miso continues to grow and evolve. “A lot of American people or Europeans have gone beyond the basic grain and have come up with miso using their own legumes or whatever it is that is available to them.”
Miso as a whole is a big topic to tackle but for if you’re ready to learn the basics of cooking with this versatile flavoring agent, here’s an introduction.
Depending on the base ingredients and their ratios, where it’s produced and the length of fermentation, the flavor of miso can vary greatly. “It’s absorbing the things in the environment, a little bit like sourdough,” Sakai said.
One simple way to categorize miso is by color.
White (shiro) miso has a higher proportion of rice and is fermented from four months to one year. It’s milder and sweeter compared to other types.
Red (aka) miso tends to have a higher proportion of soybeans and is fermented longer, from one to five years according to Sakai. It is often more robust, saltier and has a higher level of protein.
Mixed (awase) miso are blends of white and red that offer a middle ground; some view as an all-purpose version.
Though you can make your own miso at home (Sakai includes a recipe in her book and teaches classes online, and Nakajima’s mom makes it, too, so he often takes some home after visits), it’s not something I plan on doing anytime soon. “If you are buying miso, look for pastes that are naturally fermented with no added alcohol or flavor additives such as dashi and amino acids or MSG,” Sakai wrote in her cookbook. She also recommends looking for unpasteurized miso in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, as pasteurization kills the good-for-yourgut probiotics found in the product.
Marukome is a very well known brand that both Nakajima and Sakai recommend. The company touts itself as the number one miso of Japan, and it’s premium white miso paste is Nakajima’s favorite. Miso Master is another option that Sakai recommends and is widely available in stores such as Whole Foods.
Sakai recommends people try different brands and types to find what they like best. “It’s like coffee, you know, you figure out what suits your palate,” she said.
Unless it has been pasteurized, miso paste is a living ingredient that will continue to ferment as time goes on. For this reason, it should be stored in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process. If refrigerated, the flavor profile should remain relatively consistent for about a year. After that, it should still be safe to eat, but the continued (albeit slow) fermentation will cause the flavors to concentrate. “So you just have to keep tasting it and make sure it’s OK,” Sakai said. “And if you taste anything that tastes acidic, that means it’s been contaminated by another bacteria or mold” and you should throw it away.
If you’re new to cooking with miso paste, Nakajima recommends using it as a replacement for mustard in aioli or salad dressing as a starting point. However, he cautions not to make a direct swap, because you need to factor in miso’s sodium and umami.
Beyond soups and salads, the possibilities are endless. “It’s a very versatile seasoning that everybody should keep in their pantry,” Sakai said, who has used it in tomato sauce, pound cake, minestrone, risotto, curry and granola. “Dilute it with a little sake or mirin and you have an instant marinade,” Sakai said. (Nakajima warns it can burn fast, so be on the lookout when cooking.)
RAGDOLL
AMC+
New Series! From the producers of “Killing Eve” comes this six-part modern-day Faustian serial killer thriller based on the novel by Daniel Cole. Six people have been murdered, dismembered and sewn into the shape of one grotesque body — nicknamed the “Ragdoll.” Assigned to the shocking case are DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-hughes), recently reinstated to the London Met; his best friend and boss, DI Emily Baxter (Thalissa Teixeira); and the unit’s new recruit, DC Lake Edmunds (Lucy Hale). The Ragdoll Killer taunts the police by sending them a list of his next victims, with Rose’s name among them.
DOOM PATROL
HBO Max
Season Finale! The DC Comics-inspired series concludes its third season.
LOVE LIFE
HBO Max
Season Finale! Season 2 of the romantic comedy anthology series comes to an end.
3212 UN-REDACTED
Hulu
In this original documentary film from ABC News, unraveling the truth behind the deaths of four U.S. Special Forces soldiers in Africa leads to evidence of a cover-up at the highest levels of the Army.
MADAGASCAR: A LITTLE WILD
Hulu & Peacock
Season Premiere! Alex (voice of Tucker Chandler), Marty (Amir O’neil), Melman (Luke Lowe) and Gloria (Shaylin Becton) are back with more adventures in and out of their “A Little Wild” rescue habitat in Season 5 of the series inspired by the hit animated films.
LOVE NEVER LIES
Netflix
New Series! Six couples are subjected to an eye-scanning lie detector in this reality show where lies cost money, and truth and trust come with a juicy cash prize.
THE GAME
Paramount+
New Series! The hugely popular sitcom that aired its original nine seasons on The CW (2006-09) and then BET (2011-15) is back in a revival on yet another outlet, streamer Paramount+ (the first nine seasons are also available to stream). Returning with a mix of new players and original cast members — and relocating its setting from San Diego to Las Vegas — “The Game” will again offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football.
GREAT WHITE
Shudder
Exclusive Film! In this thriller, a blissful tourist trip turns into a nightmare for five passengers when their seaplane goes down near a shipwreck. Stranded miles from shore in an inflatable life raft, they find themselves in a desperate fight for survival as they try to make it to land before they either run out of supplies or are taken by a menacing pack of sharks lurking just beneath the surface.
STELLA BL
Sundance Now
Season Premiere! The neo-noir crime drama from Iceland returns for Season 2. Set two years after the events in the
Ministry that changed the political landscape of Iceland, the new season finds ruthless and cunning lawyer Stella (Heida Reed) back to her old tricks defending criminals and hustling her way through the court system. Stella’s ex-lover/ current Prime Minister Dagbjört (Sara Dögg Ásgeirsdóttir) is causing massive social upheaval with her war chest full of money from the Chinese government. This is a changed world, and not to everyone’s liking. But when a series of new cases demand Stella’s attention, she will have her wits, her sense of justice and even her belief in herself truly tested.
TOM PETTY, SOMEWHERE YOU FEEL FREE: THE MAKING OF “WILDFLOWERS”
Youtube
This feature-length documentary premieres for free globally in full 4K resolution on Tom Petty’s official Youtube channel. The film offers a unique look into the creative mastery and turbulent personal life of the legendary musician, capturing the period from 1993-95, when Petty worked with famed producer Rick Rubin for the first time to create the 1994 album “Wildflowers.”
PATHS OF GLORY
TCM, 6:15 p.m.
Catch a Classic! Co-written and directed by visionary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, this searing 1957 drama is among the most powerful antiwar films ever made — with its anti-military stance so profound and radical for its time that the movie was banned in France for nearly 20 years and banned on U.S. military bases in Europe. Based on the novel by Humphrey Cobb, “Paths of Glory” tells the story of shell-shocked French World War I soldiers ordered on a suicide mission reluctantly led by Col. Dax (a fiery Kirk Douglas). When Dax refuses the corrupt Gen. Mireau’s (George Macready) orders for soldiers to fire on their own ranks to keep them driving forward during this impossible mission, the general scapegoats a group of the soldiers to protect his promotion, accusing them of cowardice in a kangaroo court. This haunting, exquisitely photographed dissection of the military machine in all its absurdity and capacity for dehumanization (a theme Kubrick would continue to explore throughout his career) is mesmerizing from its tense trench warfare sequences to its gripping courtroom climax to its ravaging final scene.
METV REMEMBERS THE “M*A*S*H” FINALE
METV, 7 p.m.
Classic television network METV’S annual airing of “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” the legendary series finale of the Korean War-set dramedy “M*A*S*H,” returns with the rarely seen, uncut version of the episode. First airing on Feb. 28, 1983, to cap off the show’s 11-season run, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” still holds the record of being the most-watched scripted television event in U.S. history; more than 105 million viewers.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NORTH CAROLINA AT PITTSBURGH
ESPN, 7:30 p.m. Live
The North Carolina Tar Heels take a trip to Heinz Field for a prime-time ACC clash with the Pittsburgh Panthers.
STATION 19: “THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE”
ABC, 8 p.m.
When Theo and Vic hit a relationship milestone, Vic is forced to reckon with her feelings about commitment.
Andy takes refuge at Dean’s home and helps care for Pruitt, while Dean considers a new potential career opportunity. Meanwhile, an explosion rips apart a neighborhood and changes the lives of our firefighters forever.
YOUNG SHELDON: “MONEY LAUNDERING AND A CASCADE OF HORMONES”
CBS, 8 p.m.
Missy’s (Raegan Revord) questions about sex make for an uncomfortable situation at church in the new episode.
WALKER: “BARN BURNER”
The CW, 8 p.m.
Walker (Jared Padalecki) invites Gale Davidson (guest star Paula Marshall) to participate in the chili cookoff at the Side Step to try and make amends after years of their families feuding; however, Abby (Molly Hagan) isn’t too pleased with the gesture. Micki (Lindsey Morgan) and Trey (Jeff Pierre) work on reconciling their relationship when she comes home after her deep undercover operation.
HIDDEN HEROES: THE NISEI SOLDIERS OF WWII
History, 8 p.m.
This special reveals the unsung story of America’s Nisei warriors, the sons of Japanese immigrants who volunteered by the thousands after Pearl Harbor and served in a segregated regiment to fight in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II.
THE BLACKLIST: “THE AVENGING ANGEL”
NBC, 8 p.m.
The task force races to locate a blacklister who uses any means necessary to return what has been unjustly stolen; Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) asks Park (Laura Sohn) for a favor; and Cooper (Harry Lennix) tries to piece together an event for which he has no memory.
GREY’S ANATOMY: “BOTTLE UP AND EXPLODE!”
ABC, 9 p.m.
The Grey Sloan doctors spring into action after an explosion rocks Seattle, with the incoming trauma hitting close to home. Owen experiences PTSD after he hears the explosion, while his sister Megan enlists help from Winston and Hayes in confidence. In Minnesota, Meredith and Amelia meet up with a familiar face who assists in their study.
GHOSTS: “FLOWER’S ARTICLE”
CBS, 9 p.m.
Flower (Sheila Carrasco) begs Sam (Rose Mciver) not to write an article about the time she and her friends from the commune held up a bank.
VARIETY’S SALUTE TO SERVICE 2021
History, 9 p.m.
This latest hourlong installment of the annual special honors acts of service and heroism by our nation’s veterans. Various celebrities (the names had not been announced at press time) will be on hand to pay tribute to service members.
LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT: “NIGHTMARES IN DRILL CITY”
NBC, 9 p.m.
Carisi (Peter Scanavino) asks the SVU for help with a murder investigation when one of the witnesses shows signs of abuse.
B POSITIVE: “NOVOCAINE, BOND AND BOCCE”
CBS, 9:30 p.m.
After Jerry (David Anthony Higgins) faints at work, Gina (Annaleigh Ashford) tries to convince him to move into the senior center.
LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME: “ASHES TO ASHES”
NBC, 10 p.m.
A deadly bombing rocks the NYPD and leaves several suspects in the wind. Nova (Nona Parker Johnson) makes a major discovery.
Brought to you by the publishers of TV Weekly. ©TV Weekly 2021