Awase Miso Soyabean Paste (Aka + Shiro) - 500 Gram - GMO Free Japanese Miso Paste

I grew up on the West Coast. One of my favorite things as a kid was going to Japanese restaurants with my parents. I usually stuck to the less adventurous, but still delicious, menu options, like teriyaki chicken and tempura vegetables. But I grew to love Japanese food, and it is a favorite to this day. Before our main course would arrive, we would enjoy a bowl of miso soup. This soup, I came to learn, was made with live red miso- a paste of fermented soybeans (which tastes so much better than it sounds.) It had a distinctive flavor that was so satisfying. I would attempt to describe it but I don’t have that talent with words. But it was a flavor that I liked right away, even as a kid. I am far from my home on the Pacific Rim, and sadly also far from any Japanese restaurants. I decided to attempt to find the miso I loved as a kid, and make my own soup at home. I just had to figure out what kind of live red miso to order. Well- there are a LOT of different kinds of miso. After doing some research on what the miso of my youth might have been, I tried about five different kinds before I ordered this one purely by chance. One of the five had come close in flavor, but it just didn’t have that satisfying something the restaurant miso of my youth had. However, this Miko - Awase Miso Soyabean Paste (Aka + Shiro) does! I was very happy to find it. There is one con about this product. I do agree with other reviewers that the lid is ridiculously flimsy. As I always freeze my miso, I just put the container inside of two freezer bags, then put it in the freezer door. The lid is then a non-issue. Miso freezes very well. I just portion some out whenever I want to make soup. Miso freezes to the consistency of ice cream, so it always stays soft and easy to scoop. This is how I make my miso. I get a sturdy glass bowl, and put a generous tablespoon of Anggou Kimchi Veggie Mix Ramen Toppings, which I order off of Amazon, in the bowl. I put two cups, plus a couple of extra tablespoons, of water on to boil. As soon as the water boils I pour some into the bowl with the dried vegetables. Just enough to cover them so they will rehydrate. It helps speed up the rehydration process to put a plate or cover on the vegetables. I add some Simply Asia Lo Mein Noodles, Chinese Style (Amazon)- to the boiling water, and cook them for four minutes. The instructions on the box say to cook them for six minutes. I like my noodles al dente, and also, the noodles are going to be sitting in the almost boiling hot water for at least five minutes more pretty soon. So that’s the reason for the shorter cooking time. I tried a lot of different kinds of noodles in the journey toward the perfect bowl of miso. I like the Simply Asia ones the best. They have a nice chewiness without ever being gummy, and have a slightly nutty wheat taste. They are also lower in sodium than a lot of ramen noodles. I add the cooked noodles and the hot water they were cooked in to the bowl with the now rehydrated Ramen veggies, and let that sit for *at least* five minutes before adding the miso. The reason for this is, is if you add miso to boiling water (or vice versa), you will kill the live culture in it, which will eliminate the benefits of the culture. So I give the hot noodle mixture a while to cool off so the culture isn't killed when the miso is added to it. I only eat miso soup a few times a week because miso is pretty high in sodium. Miso soup is very beneficial however as it contains that live culture, which can help with digestive issues. If you google “health benefits of miso soup”, there are a lot of good reasons to enjoy it, other than it tastes great. Garnish your soup with sliced green onions, whatever else you like- sautéed mushrooms, dried seaweed, tofu cubes, add some chopped cooked chicken or steak if you like. Healthy, satisfying, not too expensive. With the Miko - Awase, you've made yourself a great bowl of Japanese restaurant quality miso soup right in your home.

I bought this specifically to make miso soup at home and was really happy with how it turned out. The flavor is salty, savory and rich with plenty of umami, but still mild enough that it doesn’t overpower the soup. A little goes a long way, and the paste dissolves super easily in hot liquid without leaving chunks behind. I also like adding a little chili oil when I want some extra spice—the mild, savory flavor of the miso works really well with it. This was my first miso paste, so I can’t compare it to other brands, but I really enjoyed the flavor and how easy it was to use. I’m planning on buying it again when I run out. Good packaging with no leakage, not too salty.

I had no clue what to use it for, other than just miso soup. So, I asked AI and got many ideas. I just now spread a very thin layer on one side of a ribeye steak and seared it. Unbelievable. Took the flavor to a whole new level. I may never eat a steak without it again. You can use it on many different things, it is actually quite versatile. I use it all the time now. Just know that it is very strong and a little goes a long way. This package will last a long time.

Very good!! We enjoyed this!! It’s a good middle of the way miso!!

Wonderful paste to have on hand for adding flavor to so many dishes. The paste is a good consistency and blends well into soups, stews, etc.

Very tasty. I used it to make a eggplant recipe that called for this. The container had enough for many other recipes. Good value and with care it lasted weeks in the refrigerator.

Good product!

I use it daily for my lunch meal

The flavor is very good, but the price may be a bit high. But I am happy with the purchase.

Excellent product all round. Great taste. Ordered it again and it arrived seeping through the sealed lid and so was not able to use. This is unfortunate as am afarid to order it again. It is a non - returnable item and Amazon were very kind to reimburse me. It does not however solve the issue of ordering miso which I use regularly and does not arrive seeping through the sealed lid.

I have been using miso paste for years and this one is a great buy. Will purchase another when needed.

To much salt for my taste.