Popular Miso Soup Ingredients

1The Asahi Shimbun reported on September 15th, 2012, results from a survey of the most popular fillings for miso soup. Many are as one would expect:

11.    Tofu

22.    Wakame

33.    Abura-age (deep-fried tofu)

44.    Asari (Japanese littleneck clam)

55.    Shijimi (corbicula clam)

66.    Nameko mushroom

77.    Naganegi (Japanese leek)

88.    Jagaimo (potato)

99.    Tamanegi (onion)

110. Daikon

111. Nasu (eggplant)

112. Tamago (egg)

113. Fu (wheat gluten)

114. Satoimo (taro root)

115. Enokidake mushroom

116.  Satsumaimo (sweet potato)

117. Myoga ginger

118. Kabocha squash

119. Mitsuba (trefoil)

220. Kyabbetsu (cabbage)

221. Kani (crab)

The popular tofu (including abura-age) and wakame will mix with a variety of other fillings. These two are also affordable and easy to work with in the kitchen so quick to get onto the table. Most likely, these are also in the house and available.

Asariand shijimi are great for making a naturally flavorful broth. Some people don’t bother eating the meat of the clams, but for some, especially children, digging out the meat is part of the fun.

Surprising fillings that did not make the top twenty, but are sometimes used, include cucumbers for a light soup and tomatoes for its sweetness and acidity. Both of these vegetables also suit a chilled miso soup. Tomatoes are famous for being paired with miso as both are rich in umami so it's no surprise to see it used.

When I am in a rush to get a bowl of soup on the table, I often use Marukome ekitai miso. It is a liquid miso that includes dashi. Simply cook the fillings in water and add some of the liquid miso.

Many responders replied that almost anything can be put into miso soup. I personally love tonjiru, a hearty miso soup with thinly sliced pork, gobo, konnyaku, potatoes, carrots. Meat in the soup makes it rich and the different vegetables and konnyaku add a texture that is missing from more simple soups.

But most of the time it's very basic vegetables from the list above. Some responders like to make miso soup filled with a variety of vegetables. My cousin is one of those people. Usually five to six vegetables. I always look forward to having miso soup at her home.

Miso Recipes from National Public Radio

Miso is an indispensable pantry item in our kitchen. From miso soup, salad dressings, marinade for fish to adding umami to meat sauce for spaghetti or the ground meat mixture for tacos or even a pot of chili.

If you are reading this blog you most likely have some miso in your fridge. A miso producer advised me to keep the miso in the freezer, it keeps longer and it will never freeze solid so you can still spoon it out.

Eve Turow shares with National Public Radio some great recipes here on the link below:

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135543251/miso-an-ancient-solution-for-modern-meals

Miso 味噌

Miso, the fermented paste made from soybeans, is used in a variety of dishes in our home. The sweet white kome miso, based on rice, is used for salad dressings, with nerigoma (toasted sesame paste), and as a marinade for fish with mirin and sake. We also use miso for miso soup, as well as for a variety of Western style dishes like spaghetti dressing, chili, with ground meat when making tacos, and in salad dressings with vinegar and olive oil. Miso is rich in natural umami so it adds another level of flavor to most dishes.


The following site, of the Japan Federation of Miso Manufacturers Cooperatives, is packed with information about miso.

http://www.miso.or.jp/en/index.html

Miso