My miso has white bits at the bottom

February 6, 2007 6:23 PM

Two Miso Soup Questions! I've been making a lazy/delicious version of miso soup: miso paste and diluted chicken stock, with tofu or mushrooms or whatever thrown in. But I often have all these little white chunks at the bottom of the pot/mug; what is this and does it mean I'm doing something wrong?

I know you're not supposed to boil miso - i usually wait a minute after rapid bubbling stops before I add the slushed-up paste. Am I not waiting long enough? I'm using genmai miso from Amano Miso, if it makes a difference! (And to be totally honest, the really lazy version of my soup is just miso paste and water in a mug.)

Also, miso-experts, do any of you have any good and easy/fast/convenient miso recipes on hand that aren't soup? (I like miso, and it's pretty healthy, i'd like more ways to enjoy it!)

posted by Kololo to Food & Drink (14 answers total)

I've seen two different methods in my travels:
1. Miso dilluted separately from the chicken stock and then added to the boiling stock.
2. After the stock boils miso is put in some sort of metal strainer thing and it gradually melts into the soup.

I think those methods help the miso not to melt.
posted by skillet at 7:04 PM on February 6, 2007

Opps....I mean not to be LUMPY!
posted by skillet at 7:04 PM on February 6, 2007

My guess is, they're bits of the soybeans miso's made from. If you don't strain the miso, they end up at the bottom. And if you're using genmai miso, the bits could include rice, too.
posted by misozaki at 7:08 PM on February 6, 2007

An easy way of using miso that I like is to mix some with honey, 1:1, to make an easy version of what is called dengaku here. Fry or bake some halved eggplants and use a dollop of the sauce over them. Or over tofu.
posted by misozaki at 7:13 PM on February 6, 2007

Response by poster: oh! I had no idea it was usually strained! That makes sense then, why I haven't seen the little lumps in the soup that's prepared by others!

Now, anybody have any non-soup recipes?
posted by Kololo at 7:14 PM on February 6, 2007

Response by poster: misozaki, your name tells me you know what your talking about! But there's no link in your response???
posted by Kololo at 7:27 PM on February 6, 2007

Well, the similarity is unintended, as my username's my first initial and last name! : ) And there is no link, if you mean the "dengaku" part. It's just what the sweet miso sauce is called in Japanese, but usually the way it's prepared is a bit more complicated than using just honey. But the simple version is good, too.

Here is a link to some recipes in English. If the recipe calls for sake (rice wine), I think some white wine would work just as well.
posted by misozaki at 7:43 PM on February 6, 2007

Misoyaki Butterfish

Misoyaki sauce:
2 cups white miso
1 cup sake
1 cup sugar
1 oz fresh ground ginger
1 oz green onion

Marinate the butterfish in the misoyaki sauce overnight. Heat 1 Tbs of cooking oil in a frying pan (a seasoned iron skillet, for best results). Wipe off any excess misoyaki sauce, then add the fish and cook over low-medium heat, approx 3 minutes on each side. Or, you can broil or bake the butterfish (350 degrees for 25 minutes, or broil until you start seeing the miso carmelize).
posted by krippledkonscious at 8:04 PM on February 6, 2007

All recipes below are for raw dishes.

Sundried Tomato Romesco
(one of my fave recipes)
================

2 cups sundried tomato (soaked 2 hours or more)
2 cups RAW cashews (soaked 2 hours or more)
zest of 1 orange
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup red miso
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbs za'atar seasoning (not absolutely necessary if you can't find it but nice)
2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Put everything in a food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. Add water if necessary to thing a bit for a soft spreadable consistency. (I'd use the sundried tomato soak water.)

Miso Noodle Soup
============

2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut pulp
1 1/2 tsp dark barley miso
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ginger, minced

Cut the pulp into "noodles".

In blender, combine rest of ingredients till smooth.

Pour into bowls and add noodles.

Pistachio Miso Dipping Sauce
==================

1 cup pistachio nuts
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
3 tbs miso (light or dark)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Blend.

Miso Herb (salad) Dressing
=================

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 tbs fresh basil
2 tbs dark barley miso
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp resh thyme

Blend until creamy and smooth.

Miso Orange (Salad) Dressing
===================

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil or flax oil
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 tbs chickpea miso

Blend.

Herbed ("cheese-like") Spread
=================

1 1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tbs lemon juice
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs water
1 1/2 tbs sea salt
1 tbs chickpea miso
1 tbs fresh dill, minced
1 tbs fresh basil, minced

Blend until creamy and smooth.

Creamy Miso Dressing
===============

1/4 cup flax oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbs water
1 tbs chickpea miso
1/2 tsp sea salt

Blend till creamy and smooth.
posted by dobbs at 8:18 PM on February 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

miso paste + chicken stock = lazy/delicious
posted by danb at 8:38 PM on February 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

Korean denjang chigae (spicy miso porridge)

Ingredients:
6 cups water
2 tablespoons denjang paste
1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-sized cubes
3 green onions, green and white parts, chopped

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the denjang paste, stirring to thoroughly mix. Add the tofu and onions. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, then serve.

My mother adds mushrooms, beef chunks, and some napa cabbage, as well as some Korean chili powder. She makes it a bit thicker with some corn starch and cooks it in a traditional clay pot. There is really no problem with boiling it. You don't even need chicken stock.

It's more of a stew than a soup, tends to be very salty but in a good way. Pour one ladle-full over rice, stir, and enjoy.

The key, I think, is to use real soy bean paste, available at any Asian grocer. Comes in a little brown box, or in a big jar that looks gooey and weird.
posted by brina at 9:42 PM on February 6, 2007

PS. Might want to pre-cook the napa, strain it, then freeze it. Makes for less slimy cabbage.
posted by brina at 9:44 PM on February 6, 2007

Miso Chicken

3 tablespoons miso paste
2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive)
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon
1 roasting chicken

Mix all ingredients except the chicken. Clean the chicken, then with your fingers, gently separate the chicken skin from the chicken breast. Spread the miso mixture all over the inside and outside of the chicken, including the area between the breast meat and the chicken skin. Chuck the juiced lemon in the cavity, and roast the chicken at 350 degrees until juices run clear.

Best roast chicken ever.
posted by Samantha at 10:14 PM on February 6, 2007

Amamiso (sweetened miso) as a dip for Japanese cucumbers cut like celery sticks are great as appetizer.

I don't know how to make amamiso, and I found recipes in Japanese but none in English (or I just didn't search hard enough) -- if you cared to, you can try googling 甘味噌の作り方 (how to make amamiso, in Japanese) and see how decent of a job babelfish can do.
posted by Muu at 10:00 AM on February 7, 2007