Text 8527, 108 rader
Skriven 2006-12-06 22:22:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av CAROL SHENKENBERGER
Ärende: New stuff to try
========================
 -=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Jim Weller <=-

 CS> *** Quoting JIM WELLER from a message to DAVE SACERDOTE ***
 
 DS> And pickled eggs, and if you're in a better class of hole

 JW> dives have virtually disappeared. Sounds good though.

 CS> Hehe you havent seen 'sailor town' here then.  A lovely and totally 
 CS> reprehensible place on what we call 'snake alley' (due to how the
 CS> street  wanders).  Fun spot full of 'dives'.  Actually pretty decent
 CS> people there too. xxcarol

I remember Halifax harbour (in Nova Scotia); it had it's own version of
Snake Alley. Hey, weren't you there once years ago, before Japan?

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Magic Miso
Categories: Japanese, Info
  Servings: 1 text file

    miso

A guide to Japanese soybean pastes and how to use them Beth Budra,
Special to The Chronicle

A great flavor enhancer for all kinds of dishes. I uncovered many
recipes and chefs that use it in unsuspecting ways, not just in
traditional Japanese cooking.

Miso is high in umami, the fifth basic taste often described as
savoriness. It adds complexity and intensity to many dishes the way
chicken stock, fish sauce and Parmesan cheese do. A little miso makes
even a light dish satisfying and fulfilling. Unlike cheese, miso
provides a lot of umami without a lot of added calories. Plus, it
contains the same beneficial lacto bacteria found in natural yogurt.

In my quest to make the most of miso, I turned to Ayaka Iino, who
teaches Japanese cooking classes in the East Bay. (www.ayakoiino.com)
"Mellow it by adding egg yolk or sugar or by heating it up slightly,"
she told me.

Miso is made by injecting ground, cooked soybeans with a starter culture
known as koji. The koji contains a mold called aspergillus and some
grain or legume such as rice, barley or soybean. The koji- inoculated
soybean mash is mixed with water and salt and allowed to age for
anywhere from a few weeks up to a few years. The longer it's aged, the
more complex the resulting flavor.

Traditionally, rural Japanese families would make their own miso each
year after the grain harvest. There are hundreds of variations in color,
flavor and texture depending on the type of koji (made from rice or
barley or whatever was abundant), the proportion of koji to soybeans and
the amount of salt added. Each region developed its own distinctive
miso.

For now, I'm happy to settle for store-bought. The question is, which
one? The variety can be daunting. So I follow Iino's tip, looking for
brands that contain just four or so ingredients; soybeans, water, salt
and a grain, with no additives like MSG. (Even the imported Japanese
brands will list ingredients in English somewhere.) This indicates it
was aged naturally and will have deeper flavor than brands made by a
industrial process.

Miso is sorted into light, medium and dark varieties, which range from
sweet to salty. Light or white miso is mild and sweet. It may be mild
but, to me it's not subtle. It comes from warmer climates in the south,
where fermentation goes quickly and requires less salt. It's typically
used in salad dressings and lighter dishes.

Dark miso is stronger, saltier and more mature. It's made in northern
Japan, where the colder climate calls for a longer fermentation and more
salt to keep the miso from spoiling. Its full- bodied flavor works best
in wintry soups and stews.

Medium (red) miso is the most versatile. It's a good choice for recipes
that don't specify a particular type. And it's a knockout in tomato
sauce.

You can even blend different types to customize the flavor in each dish,
a common practice in Japan known as awase miso, or the act of blending
miso, according to cookbook author Elizabeth Andoh. You might add light
miso to make a dish sweeter or dark miso to make it saltier. Iino
recommends starting with a light, a red and Hatcho (dark). Andoh
similarly suggests starting with Saikyo (light), Sendai (red) and mugi
(barley), then adding Hatcho and genmai (with whole-grain rice) when you
are more comfortable.

Beth Budr http://sfgate.com

From: Shantihhh To: Gastronomique

MMMMM-------------------------------------------------



Cheers

Jim, in Yellowknife




... I enjoyed your electro-publication very much.
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