Miso is one of the preserved foods in Japan.
Now many people in the city buy processed miso at supermarket, but in SADO Island, old people still make it on their own at their house.
Some people in my family are not exception, and make it once a year in winter.
In winter, we can prevent propagation of various bacteria and insects in Miso, so that’s a good time to make it.
And today is the day.
They gather at my house, wash SADO soy bean, boiled over firewood, prepare Koji (malted rice) and salt.
This is winter tradition for me.
To make miso, we need 3 things:
- Soy beans
- Koji (malted rice)
- Salt
They are mixed at a ratio of 1 to 1 to 1.
It’s simple but takes time and energy to make.
And this is how to make it:
- 1: Boil soy beans and separate it from boiled water. Please keep boiled water.
- 2 : Crush soy beans and cool it down
- 3: Mix salt and Koji (malted rice)
- 4: Put No.3 into No.2 and mix well adding boiled water from No.1
- 5: Make it ferment more than 10 months and enjoy having it!
In general, people make it ferment more than 1 year and mix it with older homedame Miso.
You can use it to make Miso soup and also to make pickles and sauce.
In old days, wooden barrels were used to make and preserve Miso.
Wooden barrel breathed well, and Miso preserved in it had good taste.
My family use local products, SADO soy beans, Koji and Salt, to make Miso, and it’s very tasty.
My uncle, who keeps an inn in North area, uses this special Miso at his place.
Customers love his Miso, and some put comment on it on review website.
Also, the other day, we gave our Miso to an owner of inn in SADO Island, and she LOVES it.
I’m glad that our homemade Miso makes people happy. 🙂
By the way, in Ogi area, where is in the south of SADO Island, local people used to use it as boats.
