Your Miso Guide

Or: Why You Should Grab a Jar Next Time You're at the Shops

G’day, friends ๐Ÿ’š

Right, let’s have a chat about miso.

You’ve probably had it at Midori โ€” in your miso soup, in the glaze on our Nasu Miso Den, or adding that special something to our ramen broth. Maybe you’ve tried it at other Japanese restaurants too. However, maybe you’ve thought “I reckon I could use this at home,” but then… never actually bought it?

We get it. Walking into the Asian section at the supermarket can be a bit overwhelming. Miso sits there in its jar looking mysterious and foreign, and you think “what would I even do with this?”

So, let’s break it down. No fluff, just practical stuff you can actually use in your everyday life.

Which One Do You Actually Need?

Walk into any Asian grocer or the Asian section of your local supermarket and you’ll see dozens of varieties. Don’t stress about it.

There are really only two you need to know about:

White Miso (look for “shiro” on the label): Milder, slightly sweet, and light coloured (pale yellow/beige). This is your everyday workhorse.

Red Miso (look for “aka” on the label): Bolder, saltier, more intense, and dark reddish-brown. This is for when you want bigger flavours.

If you’re only buying one? Get white miso. It’s more versatile and easier to work with.

The Golden Rule

Miso is strong. Start with less than you think you need. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away. A little goes a long way. We’re talking teaspoons, not tablespoons, for most things.

So What Do You Actually Use It For?

1. Miso Soup (Obviously, But Hear Us Out)
Takes literally 5 minutes and it’s perfect for those mornings when you need something light but nourishing.

Boil water with a bit of dashi powder (or even just veggie stock);

Chuck in some tofu, spring onions, whatever veg you’ve got;

Crucially, turn off the heat;

Stir in a tablespoon of white miso per cup.

That’s it. Breakfast sorted. Or a quick lunch. Or a light dinner when it’s too hot to cook properly. Tip: Don’t boil the miso โ€” add it at the end, off the heat, or it tastes harsh.

2. Salad Dressings (Game Changer)

This is where miso becomes genuinely useful for everyday life. It’s a warm day, you can’t be bothered cooking, you just want a salad. But you want it to actually taste like something, yeah?

Quick miso dressing:

1 tablespoon white miso

2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

1 tablespoon sesame oil (or olive oil)

Tiny bit of maple syrup

Water to thin it out

Shake it in a jar. Done. Suddenly, your boring salad is actually delicious. Store it in the fridge, as it keeps for ages.

3. On Your Corn (Trust Us)

Get some fresh sweet corn. Boil it or chuck it on the barbie. Mix a teaspoon of white miso into some softened butter or margarine. Spread it on the hot corn.

You’re welcome. We do a version of this at Midori (our Toumorokoshi) and people lose their minds over it. It’s that good.

4. Marinades for the Barbie

If you’re firing up the grill, miso is your secret weapon.

Simple miso glaze:

2 tablespoons miso (red if you’ve got it, white works too)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Splash of rice wine or just water

Tiny bit of sesame oil

Brush it on mushrooms, eggplant, tofu, zucchini โ€” whatever you’re grilling. Make sure to do it in the last few minutes of cooking so it caramelises without burning. Your mates will ask what you did. Tell them or don’t. Up to you.

5. Stir It Into Literally Anything

Cooking pasta? Stir a teaspoon of miso into your sauce.

Making a stir-fry? Add some at the end.

Roasting vegetables? Mix miso with a bit of oil before roasting.

It adds this depth and oomph that’s hard to describe but impossible to ignore. That’s umami doing its thing.

But I’m Not Much of a Cook…
That’s fine. Actually, miso is perfect for people who don’t love cooking because it does so much heavy lifting for you.

Even if all you do is:

Make simple miso soup on busy mornings;

Mix it into salad dressing once a week;

Spread miso butter on your corn at barbies.

That jar has already paid for itself. You don’t need to be fancy. You don’t need special equipment. You just need a jar of miso and the willingness to experiment a bit.

Where to Get It

Most supermarkets stock it in the Asian section โ€” look for it near the soy sauce. Alternatively, Asian grocers will have way more variety and usually better prices. Start with white miso. One jar. See how you go.

Why We’re Telling You This

Look, we’d love for you to come to Midori every night and let us cook for you. Obviously.

But the truth is, we want you to enjoy this food at home too. To have those flavours in your everyday life, not just when you’re eating out.

Miso is one of those ingredients that genuinely changes how you cook. It makes simple things delicious. It turns a boring weeknight meal into something you actually look forward to. And honestly? Once you start using it, you’ll get why it’s been a staple in Japanese kitchens for thousands of years.

Give it a crack. Worst case, you’ve learned something new. Best case? You’ve just added a secret weapon to your kitchen that you’ll use for years.

See you soon ๐Ÿ’š

The Midori Team

P.S. If you do grab a jar and try something at home, tag us on Instagram. We love seeing what you get up to. And if you stuff it up? Come see us and we’ll feed you the proper version.

๐Ÿ“ฑ Mobile (Text or Call): +61 480 416 307