2017/05/14

A column introducing traditional Japanese seasonings by an author who loves authentic seasonings.
"Try changing your miso with the seasons"

"What kind of miso do you use?" and "Why did you choose that one?" are questions I ask my students in class, but I feel that many people just buy it without knowing what kind of miso they are using. Miso is a traditional Japanese fermented food that is very nutritious, so why not try choosing different kinds?

Types of miso

There are various ways to classify miso. Traditional miso is made only from soybeans, salt, and koji, so the first step is to classify it by the type of koji. If you classify it by koji, there are three types: rice miso, barley miso, and soybean miso. If you classify it by color, there are white, red, and light-colored miso. In terms of taste, there are sweet and dry miso, and miso named after regions such as Shinshu miso, Hatcho miso, Saikyo miso, and Sendai miso (and many others). Barley miso is sometimes called country miso because it was made by farmers for themselves.
Nishikyo miso from Kyoto (Kansai) is a sweet white miso with a high koji ratio and a short maturation time. Hatcho miso (Hatcho Village, now Hatcho Town) in Aichi Prefecture is made with soybean koji and is made with a heavy weight for a long time. Nationwide, barley miso, rice miso, or combined (rice and barley) miso are often used (depending on the region).
Depending on the region where rice or wheat is harvested, miso has become unique to each region, depending on the climate, history, and various other factors.

Try changing your miso with the seasons

When you have miso soup at home, what do you think of the first sip? Some feel crisp and energetic, some feel permeated, and some leave you feeling warm and relaxed - it all depends on the type of miso.
For example, wouldn't you rather eat Nagoya's misonikomi udon in the cold season than in the summer? This red miso is also served with sushi, but red miso is recommended in the cold season or when your body is cold. On the other hand, in the hot season, rice miso or barley miso, sometimes with cold soup, will keep your body warm and is nutritious, so it can also help prevent summer fatigue. It's perfect for the upcoming weather in Hong Kong.
If your child doesn't like miso soup and refuses to drink it, he or she may be a lively and energetic child. Trying to change the miso or ingredients in the miso soup often gets the child to drink it.

Try changing the miso you use to enjoy each season, such as red miso soup in the cold winter or when you're chilled by the air conditioner, barley miso for spring, and white miso for New Year's celebrations. It's wonderful to be able to feel the seasons with miso.

Macrobiotics starts by changing ingredients and seasonings to traditional and safe ones, so students' sense of taste is sharpened and children drink miso soup more often. Because it is daily miso soup, it should be safe for both children and us! It is very important to choose good seasonings so that it does not burden the body every day.
Learn that food is medicine
Medicinal food & macrobiotic edu+u kitchen instructor Kyoko

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