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What Is Saikyo Miso?

Sep 7, 2011 | By Andy Josiah

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, has origins in feudal Japan as a fish preservative. It is fermented from a combination of rice or barley, soybeans, salt and a fungus, botanical name Aspergillus oryzae, known in Japan as koji or kojikin. One of the several types of miso is saikyo miso, which is primarily known for its golden or pale yellow color.

General Description

Apart from its yellowish color, saikyo miso has a distinctively sweet taste. This is due to a by-product of the fermentation process, as the koji assists in breaking the carbohydrates in the rice down into simpler, unrefined sugars. Also, it helps that saikyo miso is made by relying more on rice than soybeans. In addition to its sweet flavor, saikyo miso has less salt that many other types of miso, usually about 5 to 10 percent salt content.

Origin and Use

Saikyo miso is traditionally associated with Kyoto. The capital of Japan during its imperial era, Kyoto is located in the Kansai region, which forms part of the southern-central area of Japan's main island Honshu. Its sweet, mild and low-salt taste is why saikyo miso is most commonly used as a dipping sauce or condiment. Its sweetness -- bearing a resemblance to the sweet, low-alcohol traditional Japanese drink amazake, which is made from fermented rice -- makes it suitable for sweetening or adding flavor to baked goods. Saikyo is also used for marinating food items such as fish and vegetables, and, like other miso variants, can be mixed with dashi soup stock to produce miso soup.

Advantages

Due to its soy content, saikyo miso is a good source of omega-3, which is a fatty acid that reduces triglycerides. Since high blood levels of triglycerides are associated with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, lowering triglycerides may reduce the risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Also, since it lacks gluten, saikyo miso is safe to eat for people who have the autoimmune disorder celiac disease, without suffering any adverse gastrointestinal consequences.

Disadvantages

The low salt content of saikyo miso, though, ensures that it cannot be preserved as long as other miso variants. So it is essential to store the paste in the refrigerator or a cold place as often as possible. Also, saikyo miso tends to be comparatively expensive.

References

Article reviewed by Mike Myers Last updated on: Sep 7, 2011

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