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[Making Your Own Miso]

The other day, I opened the miso I made this spring with a sense of excitement. When I lifted the lid, the aroma of fresh miso filled the air. I peeled off the sake lees that had been covering the top to prevent mold, took a spoonful, and found that this year's miso had an exceptionally rich soybean aroma. It has a deep flavor that only homemade miso can have. While it still has some sharp edges, it is alive with the koji and is considered raw miso. Over the next year, it will gradually sweeten and mellow. I plan to transfer it little by little to my favorite container and enjoy watching it change. By the way, the sake lees that protected the miso have also taken on a full miso flavor, so I enjoy adding them to hot pots or miso soup.

Miso is indispensable in Japanese home cooking. After a time when it was common to buy miso at the store, homemade miso is now being reevaluated. However, many people still find the idea of making it a bit daunting. I was in the same boat until a few years ago. One reason I hesitated was the choice of container. There are many options, including wooden vats, ceramic jars, enamelware, glass jars, and plastic containers. If I were to go to the trouble of buying one, I would want to get the right one, but I wasn't sure if I would be able to use it year after year. Another challenge was the preparation process. Gathering the ingredients and cooking the soybeans, which must be soaked the day before, is a two-day task. The thought of it sometimes made me anxious, wondering if I could manage the work.

That's why I want to introduce a way to lower the hurdle of making miso a little. When I searched for a method, I found a modern recipe: buy boiled soybeans in a can (mizu-ni) and prepare them in a zippered plastic bag like a Ziploc. After mashing the soybeans in the bag, mix the salt and malted rice with the mashed soybeans, put it in a clean Ziploc bag, squeeze out the air, and seal it. After about six months at room temperature, the miso will be ready. This method seems easy enough, even if you're busy. Starting with a small batch and trying the simpler method will help you get a feel for it. Once you do, it will be easier to choose the tools, ingredients, and methods that suit you from the many options available.

But what if you want to do something a little more serious? In our house, we prepare five kilograms of ingredients in a five-liter container with a lid. After much consideration, we chose a plastic bucket because it's easy to handle. It's lightweight, easy to clean, resistant to bacteria, and reasonably priced. As a result, it was perfect for beginners. As for the ingredients, I don't have any original formulas yet, so I buy a handmade miso set (containing soybeans, koji, and salt) from a miso shop. My favorite set is from Marukawa Miso in Fukui, known for its high-quality ingredients. Every year, it has a rich and gentle taste. There are other miso makers selling handmade miso sets, some even including a container, so if you're unsure, I recommend trying one of those first.

Once the ingredients are ready, all that's left is the preparation. Soaking the soybeans in three times the amount of water for 18 hours and then cooking them until they're soft enough to crush with your fingers is a bit of work. But we decided to tackle it that day, and I started preparing the day before. If you have a large amount of soybeans, they will inevitably scatter around when you mash them or mix them with koji. So it's best to secure a large space beforehand and lay down some plastic to make the process more pleasant. It's also fun to invite family or friends to help.

Whether it's a hot summer day or a cold winter day, having miso soup is enough to soothe your mind and body. This is especially true if it's made with homemade miso. There are plenty of recipes and videos online, so if you've been wanting to try making miso but haven't yet, I encourage you to take the plunge and give it a try while lowering the bar.

Ichiyougama's Food Container Miso
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/container.html
Noda Horo's Square Stocker with Sealed Lid
https://www.shokunin.com/en/noda/

References
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DnoN0cKDdCA
https://marukawamiso.com/make-miso/85.html