MISO ( pronounced mee-so) is fermented soybean paste. But this unappealing description falls far short of what it really is and what its benefits are.

MISO, with a texture similar to peanut butter, contains an abundance of protein and all the essential (and non-essential) amino acids, yet has a low salt, fat and calorie content. It also comes in a wide variety of flavours and colours. All these properties, derived from over a thousand years of refinement by traditional Japanese master craftsmen, can make MISO as versatile, satisfying and nutritious an addition to your cooking as it is in Japan.

 

MISO's many benefits stem from the unique combination of properties soybeans have after undergoing the process of natural fermentation. Besides providing the body with essential nutrients, MISO promotes resistance to disease, helps the digestion and assimilation of all foods but particularly acidic foods such as sweets, meat and alcohol, neutralizes the harmful effects of nicotine in tobacco, increases the protein available from foods such as bead, noodles and other cereals, reduces the need for salt as a seasoning, serves as a concentrated source of energy, and may even have the ability to attract, absorb and discharge from the body radioactive elements such as strontium (found in milk).

 

MISO can be used like bouillon in soups and stocks, like soy sauce in sauces and dressings, like cheese in casseroles and spreads, like relish with vegetables and sandwiches, as a topping on sautéed or steamed foods, and like salt as a seasoning.

With this kind of versatility in the preparation and consumption of food, together with its amazing variety of nutritional and healthful benefits and a cornucopia of delicious tastes and aromas, it is little wonder that MISO plays an indispensable role in Japanese cookery. We hope, after you have tried it in some of our dishes at Suisha Gardens Restaurant, that it will become just as important to you. May we suggest Miso Soup, Miso Ramen (miso flavoured noodle soup), or Gindara Saikyo yaki (miso flavoured black cod).

 

MISO is available at Asian food-stores and some supermarkets, however you will find a variety of MISO paste, from red to white MISO, Saba Miso-ni (Mackerel with Miso sauce), Gindara Saikyo yaki (miso flavoured black cod), instant Miso Ramen, and even dried instant Miso soup at Niagara Kyo-Mart (Niagara's only Japanese Food Store), located next to Suisha Gardens Restaurant. For more information call 905-357-9662.