You like probiotic foods? I do. If you want to eat them without taking a supplement, have you tried kimchi, miso or natto? You can find them all in an Asian market.
In case these are unfamiliar items to you: Kimchi is often made with cabbage, but it could be any myriad of vegetables. It’s fermented with garlic and chile peppers. Miso is a savory paste made of fermented soybeans often used for soup. Natto are fermented soybeans.
Natto
I haven’t had natto for 25 years since Ojiichan, my Japanese grandfather, persuaded me to taste it for the first time. We didn’t speak the same language, but we made our best effort at sign language. If he wanted me to learn good manners by slurping my noodles or tasting something he enjoyed that was foreign to me, it was hard to say no.
So, in honor of Ojiichan, I decided to give natto another try. Maybe my palate had changed…Well, let’s just say I could wait another 25 years until next time…but I didn’t want to discard what I had purchased, so I put the remainder into our morning fruit and vegetable smoothies. Blended with the addition of a little cocoa powder, it was great! No waste!
Try it if you’re feeling adventurous. Let me know what you decide to mix it with if it requires some embellishment for your taste. There are many natto fans out there. Please tell me who you are and how you personally enjoy it.
Miso
Miso is one of these umami type ingredients that you hear so much about. It comes in different varieties: red, white, yellow. If it’s new to you, I might suggest first trying the white one called Shiro Miso because it has the mildest flavor. You can use it to make soup or as a glaze for fish.
I never claimed to be a traditionalist, so if you are one, feel free to laugh if I do things differently than what you’re used to. First boil water to hydrate the wakame (sea vegetable) and noodles you might want to cook. I love soba (buckwheat noodles). What else might you add to the soup? I had some roasted yams that I could use along with some precooked chicken.
I ladled some of the liquid from the pot into a small bowl and whisked in some red miso paste. Simply make sure there aren’t any lumps without overheating the miso, thereby preserving its probiotic attributes. The miso container should give you general directions regarding proportions, so use that as a guide and adjust according to your taste.
Miso Dressing
Who says salad has to contain lettuce? By the time I have finished my more tender greens, cabbage is still going strong in my refrigerator. Combine colors for some variety. Add celery or carrots. Make an interesting salad dressing. Toss in some beans or chicken for protein and enjoy a quick, healthy lunch. Into the mortar/pestle goes:
- garlic
- ginger
- miso paste
- rice vinegar
- olive oil
And what else? Something spicy or more umami? Let me know what works for you!
Find out why you will always find cabbage and some variety of squash in my refrigerator by reading Keep It Fresh next.