SMART THINKING

A staple of Japanese cooking, miso is a great way to impart a savoury note to your dishes.

There are three main varieties of miso paste available: white, yellow and red.

White miso – or shiro miso – is one of the most used types of miso, as its short fermentation time allows for a sweeter and milder flavour. It’s light yellow in colour, and it is made from fermented soy beans and rice. It can be used for making soups or dressings.

Yellow miso – or shinshu miso – is slightly stronger in flavour than white miso, as it is fermented for a longer period of time. However, it is still reasonably mild, with rich, earthy tones. It’s usually fermented with the addition of barley, and is a light brown in colour. It can be used in soups, but is also great as a marinade for meats.

Red miso – also known as just ‘miso’ – is a very deep red or brown colour. Of the three varieties, it is the saltiest and the strongest in flavour. It has a much longer fermentation time than either white or yellow miso, and is usually fermented with barley and other grains. Due to its bold flavour, it is best suited for richer dishes like meat braises or hearty winter soups.

If you’ve never cooked with miso before, an easy way to get started is to make a miso soup for two. Bring three cups of water to the boil in a pan. Add 100g of sliced chicken breast; simmer for one minute. Then remove from the heat and stir through 3-4 tablespoons of white miso paste. (It’s important not to let the miso boil. Stirring through the miso off the heat allows it to be incorporated through the soup and gives you the cloudy texture of a classic miso soup.) Divide between bowls, top with shredded nori, diced silken firm tofu and green shiso cress.