MAGIC OF MISO

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MAGIC OF MISO

I once had a babysitter come into my home who, of course, saw what I stored in my cabinets and kept in my refrigerator. She eventually told me that she had never seen half of the foods and condiments that my family uses. Clearly, Asian cuisine is comprised of some unusual ingredients compared to ones known by the American pallet. However, since the advent of sushi bars that serve miso soup with a meal, we are now widely familiar with one very powerful Asian staple food — Miso.

WHAT IT IS:

Miso originated in Japan. With relatively little grazing land for farming animals, Japanese people were originally compelled to develop a protein source that could be produced utilizing very little open space. A good quality miso is composed of cooked grain cultured with a spore, usually Koji, and then blended with soybeans and sometimes sea salt. Using regionally specialized ingredients and unhurried aging techniques, as in wine making, it is then stored in cedar kegs for an average of 18 months. Shoyu, tamari, natto and amazake were later developed using these same fermenting methods. Without fermentation soybeans contain indigestible protein. Fermentation creates amino acids that are easy to assimilate; thus producing a protein-rich, super food.

MISO VARIETIES & THEIR USES:

Miso is a product that is created in delicious varieties with subtle variations, each having a unique effect on health. The darker, longer aged varieties provide warmth and nutrition and are particularly good during winter months. Lighter miso is more salty in taste and since they are lighter they are more enjoyable in warmer weather. Lighter varieties are aged just several months on average and so lack stronger medicinal aspects.

Pearl Barley Miso – effectively dissolves fluid excess and mucous in the body, treating cysts and tumors, and any lower abdominal disorders due to excessive heat in the body.

Red Miso - my overall favorite, is light but flavorful and slightly sweet.

Barley “Mu Gi” Miso - a salty, deep, richly flavored miso, versatile in stews and sauces.

Hatcho “Emperor’s” Miso – aged an average of 3 years, this non-grain, soybean miso takes longer to ferment due to its absence of grain matter. Hardy, deep, robust and less salty due to its pressing process that squeezes out salt content. Hatcho is an excellent medicinal miso due to its high concentration of isoflavones. Prized in Japan.

Brown Rice “Gen Mai” Miso - a balanced, light flavor excellent simmered in bean and vegetable dishes and equally in soups and sauces. A nice miso for those who are just acquiring a taste for miso.

Sweet White Miso - a light, delicate and smooth textured miso that is often used to create dips and sauces. White miso is mild, suitable for lighter soups in warmer weather.

Tekka Miso – cooked in a cast iron pot for 16 hours gives this miso a high content of iron and minerals. It can be used as a condiment for rice or by dissolving it in hot water to make soup. Tekka is traditionally made with sesame oil, burdock root, lotus root, carrots, ginger and barley miso. It is considered highly alkalizing and excellent in the rectification of anemic conditions with weakness and fatigue. Tekka is also food to treat blood sugar imbalances and diabetes.

Nato Miso Chutney – a miso condiment for rice that strengthens digestion. It is comprised of barley miso, kombu seaweed, ginger and barley malt.

One to two cups of miso soup per day can promote the following benefits:

NEUTRALIZING ACIDIC BLOOD PH:

Miso is a light, great tasting alkalizing food that neutralizes acidic blood ph. Among other challenges, acidic ph leads to greater inflammatory reactions from environmental catalysts like spider bites and poison ivy, and internally related disorders like inflammatory arthritis, multiple sclerosis and many ARC disorders. Overall, miso is rich in minerals and calcium and therefore promotes bone strength and tissue regeneration. Miso can enrich hair and skin vitality.

DIGESTIVE FLORA:

Miso is better than yogurt to restore healthy intestinal flora while engendering none of the digestive dampness that yogurt is prone to. Miso offers large amounts of digestible, slowly absorbed glucose making it an excellent source of protein and energy, suitable for everyone. Like all fermented products miso contains live enzymes that benefit digestion and the assimilation of all nutrients. Stomach weakness including mal-absorption, bloating and poor intestinal functioning may be corrected by ingesting miso on a daily basis. Cultivating a clear digestive system with alkaline ph food sources can reduce and eliminate Candida and various fungal disorders.

CHOLESTEROL:

Similar to the renowned benefits of drinking green tea, eating miso regularly is proven to dissolve accumulated fat in the bloodstream as well as reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. The alkalinity of all high quality miso products counteracts acidic ph from consumption of sugar, alcohol and smoking. It is recommended for hardened arteries and high blood pressure.

COMBINATIONS:

There are numerous ingredients that can be combined to complement and accent miso’s health promoting effects.
The following combination is useful in the treatment of the common cold: Add wakame or various other seaweeds, daikon radish shavings and scallion to miso. This combination is beneficial to build the body’s Wei QI, or its immunological barrier to external pathogenic factors.

QUALITY CONTROL:

One simply can not expect the same health benefits and taste from miso that has been incubated at high temperatures in plastic, fiberglass or stainless steel tanks to that of hand-crafted food created by makers with great skill and intuition - Quality matters.