Miso is one of the staples of Japanese cooking, and is made by fermenting soy beans, koji and salt. In the past, it was made at home in the colder seasons. Across Japan the type of miso made is different depending on the area: rice miso, soy bean miso, Saikyo miso, barley miso.

I use a different miso depending on what I am cooking. Just a small spoonful as a hidden boost gives a wonderful, rich flavour. Recently you can buy miso ready mixed with bonito dashi, but I prefer to use real miso, made with top quality soy beans, koji and natural salt – not only does it taste great, but it’s healthy too!

There’s an old saying in Japanese, “Soko ga miso nan da.”, which means something like “That’s what is good about it.” In English you might say, “That’s the beauty of it.” A spoonful of miso in traditional Japanese or British cooking – easy, healthy and delicious. That’s the beauty of it!