Miso Fairies: Recipes for Your Gift/Burden

By Al McKee

Do you live in Naito or Sully? Do you cook (or clean)? Maybe you should hop on that. Maybe you’ve also noticed a mysterious bag of beige-ish mush appear in your fridge or freezer labelled as “Miso Paste.” We hope you did. You can trust us, it’s actually miso, not some other mysterious substance.

Now you may be thinking,“What the hell can I do with miso paste?” You may want to try and donate it to the Community Pantry, but they won’t accept it (again, trust us, we tried). You may be able to give it to a friend who doesn’t live in your dorm who happens to be obsessed with white miso. But chances are, you’re now just stuck with a blob of paste. To help you combat this confusing dilemma, I have compiled a list of a few yummy miso dishes that you can make to use up this soybean paste!

Basic Miso Soup (4 servings)

Ingredients: 6 cups vegetable stock, 1 pack of silken tofu, ½ cup shiitake mushrooms (stemmed and sliced), 1 sheet of nori (dried seaweed), 4 tablespoons of miso paste, 4 medium green onions (chopped)

Steps:

1. In a large saucepot over high heat, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the tofu, mushrooms, and seaweed.

2. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place the miso in a small bowl and whisk in about 2 tablespoons of the hot stock until smooth, to ensure that there are no lumps.

4. Stir the miso mixture into the soup until fully incorporated. Add the green onions and simmer for 3 more minutes. Season to taste with additional miso paste or a pinch of salt, if desired.

5. Serve hot and enjoy.

Creamy White Miso Ramen

Ingredients: 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth, ¼ cup white miso paste, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tsp grated ginger, 8 oz fresh ramen noodles, 2 soft-boiled eggs (halved), 2 green onions (thinly sliced), 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional for extra richness)

Steps:

1. Pour 4 cups broth into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to low and whisk in ¼ cup white miso paste until fully dissolved to prevent clumping.

3. Stir in 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tsp grated ginger.

4. Simmer the broth uncovered for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld, but do not boil to preserve the miso’s delicate flavor.

5. While broth simmers, cook 8 oz fresh ramen noodles in a separate pot of boiling water according to package directions, usually 2-3 minutes.

6. Drain noodles immediately and divide between two bowls.

7. Ladle the hot miso broth over the noodles, ensuring each bowl gets an equal amount.

8. Top each bowl with 1 halved soft-boiled egg, a sprinkle of sliced green onions, and ½ tbsp butter if using.

9. Serve immediately while hot.

Miso-Infused Japanese Curry

Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), 1 large onion (thinly sliced), 2 carrots(chopped into ½-inch pieces), 1 lb boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch chunks) (can be substituted with your choice tofu or meat sub), 3 tbsp miso paste, 1 package Japanese curry roux (about 3.5 oz), 4 cups water, 2 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed), steamed rice (for serving).

Steps:

1. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add 1 large sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

3. Add 2 chopped carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.

4. Push vegetables to one side and add 1 lb chicken thigh chunks.

5. Sear chicken for 4 minutes until lightly browned on all sides. 

->Tip: Don’t overcrowd the pot—cook in batches if needed for better browning.

6. Stir in 3 tbsp red miso paste until chicken and vegetables are evenly coated.

7. Pour in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.

8. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

9. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface for a clearer broth.

10. Add 2 cubed potatoes and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

11. Break 1 package curry roux into small pieces and whisk into the pot until fully dissolved.

-> Tip: Turn off the heat briefly while adding roux to prevent lumps.

12. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

-> Tip: Curry will thicken as it cools, so don’t over-reduce.

13. Serve with rice and enjoy.

Miso Banana Cake

Ingredients for cake: 1⅓ cup mashed banana, 3 tablespoon white miso paste, 6 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup brown sugar, packed, 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, melted butter or baking spray for pan

Ingredients for frosting: 4 oz (113 g) unsalted butter, 8 oz (227 g) room temperature cream cheese, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps (for brown butter frosting):

1. Brown butter for the frosting: Place the butter in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, it will become foamy. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles. Start whisking continuously at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty, remove it from heat.

2. Strain the brown butter: Line a fine mesh sieve with a cheesecloth and strain the brown butter through it into your stand mixer bowl, pressing and squeezing with a spatula to get every drop of brown butter from the cheesecloth without getting the milk solids into the liquid. Set aside to cool until it re-solidifies (a few hours). 

->Tip: straining out the milk solids ensures a smooth frosting

Steps (for cake):

1. Preheat the oven: Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

2. Prepare the baking pan: Brush your baking pan with melted butter or nonstick baking spray and set aside.

3. Prepare wet ingredients for the banana cake:  Mash the bananas with a potato masher in a large mixing bowl. Add miso paste, oil, eggs and vanilla, and beat with a whisk until thoroughly combined.

4. Add sugar: Add brown sugar and beat again until completely incorporated.

5. Add dry ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix gently with a whisk or a spatula until combined and no trace of flour remains.

6. Bake: Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 37 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.

7. Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before adding frosting.

8. Make the frosting: Add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla to your stand mixer bowl with the solidified brown butter. Fit it with the wire whisk. Stir to incorporate the powdered sugar. Gradually increase the mixer speed to combine all the ingredients to prevent anything from flying out of the bowl.

9. Beat until fluffy: Continue beating on medium high speed until the brown butter cream cheese frosting is fluffy and creamy. Give it a taste and add more powdered sugar if a sweeter frosting is desired.

10. Spread frosting evenly on top of the cooled cake with an offset spatula to cover the entire surface of the cake. Serve and enjoy!

This is all I've got from scouring the internet (and not wanting to take up too much space). You should go dig for some more! I know miso works great in a pumpkin latte, so try it out. Either way, miso is a great ingredient to use and it can keep you nice and warm during winter. I personally make a super quick miso soup and carry around it in my library tour mug... it works. I would also like to state that I do not know who the fairies are. All I know is that I now have five bags of paste in my fridge… please take them from me.