Miso facts

Traditional miso making in Nagoya posted by randomidea.

There is an old saying that bought miso leaves one's safe empty (味噌買う家は倉建たぬ). It means that anyone who is careless and extravagant enough to buy miso rather than making it at home is sure to have financial problems. I am making miso and also have plenty financial cares. How does that work?

Of course, the saying is an old one. Miso making is more of a hobby nowadays. It is probably as common as home brewing in the UK and its adherents have a similar missionary zeal. Home miso makers are absolutely passionate about their products and often try to make people taste them. The phrase "temae-miso　手前味噌" (home made miso) now has a secondary meaning praising oneself. (Oh, I'm sorry, but I am being a bit of a home brewer here, but please look at my new web design")

But there was once a time when temae-miso was the norm. That means there is great regional variety because people had to use whatever was available to them. There is rice koji miso, just like the one I have tried to make, but also barley koji miso, soy bean koji miso, millet koji miso, chick pea miso, adzuki miso etc. etc. People are experimenting mung beans, lentils and others. The variety is endless.

Soy is the dominant type.

Even with your standard combination of rice koji, salt and soy beans, there can be a lot of variety. Red miso have higher salt contents. They take longer to mature (typically, over a year), have stronger tastes, and don't go off easily. The longer miso matures, the darker its colour grows.

White miso have more koji. They are sweeter, quicker to mature and you need to take more care of its storage as it is less salty and tends to go off more easily.

When I lived in Tokyo, I used to buy "awase miso"--a blend of both red and white, with red's character and white's milder taste.  I was happy enough with the Japanese co-op's standard miso, but my sisters, who are more health conscious, ordered their miso from proper miso makers rather than buying a pack at a supermarket.

Properly matured miso made from good ingredients has more character and therefore more satisfying with smaller portions. If you want to limit your sodium intake, it is a good idea to invest in miso with flavour. I find that what I am hankering after is not the salt per se, but the rich and complex symphony of taste and flavour that a fermented bean paste offers.

Just like booze, commercialisation tends to kill off some of the varieties that are more difficult to mass produce. Making miso in the home offers an opportunity to revive old varieties and experiment with the new combinations.

 Photo Flickr Creative Common Randomidea