Miso is a traditional Japanese paste whose main ingredients are grains and soybeans. The Japanese revere this product and use it to enhance the nutritional value and the flavor of a wide array of dishes
What Is the Process to Make Miso?
Miso is the product of a double fermentation process. First, steamed grains (rice or barley) are inoculated with spores of Aspergillus oryzae and cultured for a couple of days. The result is called koji, which is also a source of enzymes. After that, koji is mixed with cooked soybeans, salt, water. This mixture is put into two-meter deep cedar vats and fermented for 6 to 18 months to produce a nutritious paste that is about 14% high-quality protein.
A Brief History of Miso
The earliest known forerunner or miso was jiang, a group of Chinese foods. Scholars believe that miso arrived in Japan from either China itself or Korea shortly before the introduction of Buddhism (CE 540-552).
Nowadays there are many varieties of this food in Japan, but the main categories are rice miso (the most popular all over the country), barley miso (popular in western Japan), and soybean miso (typical of a small area in central Japan).
Above all, the most popular form of miso around the world is miso soup, but there are also glazes, dips, pickles, and marinades.
What Are the Health Benefits of Miso?
This paste contains many important nutrients like manganese, copper, various vitamins B, and vitamin K. Moreover, the fermentation process promotes the growth of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that bring balance to your digestive system, and help prevent and treat diarrhea.
Learn More Interesting Food Facts
At Chef Gourmet we know good food, and we love to share that knowledge with you. These are some previous posts where you can find more interesting facts about food:
- What is Purple Rice?
- Tofu: frequently asked questions
- 4 Interesting facts about cod
- Basmati, The Prince of Rice
- How Tomatoes Conquered the World
- Soba Noodles: Everything You Need to Know
- Marinara: the Story Behind the Legendary Italian Sauce
- Quinoa, the Rice of the Incas (and Astronauts)
At Chef Gourmet, all our Gourmet Prepared Meals include fresh vegetables sourced from local suppliers we know and trust.
Our address is 1910 S. Archibald, Unit O, Ontario, California. Contact us today by telephone (1-888-536-5269), email, or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about our menus and our wide array of services: Corporate Lunch Boxes, Full-Service Catering, Coffee Services, and Gourmet Prepared Meals.
