We’ve been talking about the health and environmental effects of our heavy reliance on soy in processed foods, in our diets, and for use in biofuels. But not all soy is bad. It has been enjoyed healthfully in moderation in Asian cuisines for a long time. Two weeks ago we provided a recipe for tofu lettuce wraps. Here’s another healthy take on soy – this time, miso.

Miso is a traditional soy product made by fermenting soybeans with a grain – usually rice or barley. It contains beneficial bacteria, making it good for the digestion. It is also very flavorful and salty and it has a variety of culinary applications. In Japan it is most often used to make miso soup and to pickle vegetables. I like to whisk together a quick dressing with miso and use it in a variety of dishes.

This dressing is fantastic on a plain green or spinach salad. Try adding caramelized nuts and orange segments.

Miso-Sesame Dressing
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red or white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
A couple shakes of your favorite Asian chili sauce

To make:
Whisk together all the ingredients and use or refrigerate. Will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Here are a few other ideas to get you started cooking with miso:

- Drizzle over steamed asparagus
- Drizzle over steamed, grilled or baked fish
- Make a salad with cabbage, tofu, sprouts, mushrooms, and carrots
- Make a salad with leafy greens, canned wild salmon, avocado and steamed potatoes
- Toss warm grains like barley or quinoa with miso dressing and add steamed kale, seaweed, and other vegetables
- Toss rice or soba noodles with tofu or seafood, green onions, and seaweed
- Marinate fish in the dressing before baking or grilling

Image: dizznbonn

Dashi is a basic building block of Japanese cuisine. It is the base for miso and clear broth soups as well as noodle dishes and dipping sauces. It’s the simplest thing in the world to make and imparts your cooking with the mysterious fifth flavor, umami, from the kombu seaweed, and a hauntingly subtle smokiness from the dried bonito tuna flakes.

In fact, that’s all you need to make dashi broth: kombu and bonito flakes, along with water. Stay away from the instant dashi granules available in many Asian supermarkets. They make an incrementally quicker version but the real stuff is far superior and takes minutes to make.

Here’s how:

Bring 2 quarts water and 2- 5 x 3-inch pieces of kombu to a boil. Remove from heat and add about a cup of bonito flakes (they often come in little 3-oz. packages. Two packages yields about a cup). Don’t stir. Let sit until the flakes all sink to the bottom (about 5 minutes). Strain the broth through a very fine strainer. You may want to line it with a coffee filter for a very clear broth. Season to taste with a teaspoon or two each of tamari and mirin.

Your broth is ready to use. Use it to simmer vegetables or seafood for a light dinner. Add miso, tofu, and green onions and make miso soup. Simmer noodles and fish together with greens for a quick and healthy dinner. You don’t even need a Japanese cookbook because the authentic flavor is in your broth.

Image: yomi955