Japanese food 101 - What is Miso ?

Miso is fermented soy bean paste. Some people think miso is the brown cloudy Japanese soup but it's not. Miso soup is the combination of Dashi (Japanese fish broth) and Miso. There are many different types of miso but the major one is the one made with soy beans and rice malt. Cook soy beans, mash, mix with rice malt and salt, put it in a container and ferment for a year and miso is ready. It's full of "umami" and essential seasoning in Japanese cuisine. Keep in fridge once opened but before that, room temperature will do. If you are keeping it for long time, put it in freezer but make sure to seal it tight so that it won't dry out. The easiest way to use miso is to mix it with mayonnaise. Mix two mayo and one miso. Perfect dipping sauce for vegetable sticks !