Question on Miso Soup...
Where the heck can I find Miso paste?! I've checked the Natural aisle at Kroger, the international section at some stores, but I can't seem to find it anywhere! All I can find is powder Miso Soup mix, but I want just the paste so I can add my own amounts/fillers in the soup. I have a Whole Foods and an Amazing Grace Whole Foods near me, along with about three Krogers, a Meijer, and a Wal-Mart. I have one Vietnam Oriental Market also, but it doesn't seem to carry miso. Can someone tell me which section of any of these stores you have found it in or where it should be in these stores? It would also be nice if it was free of MSG, Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Proteins etc.
Also, what do you put in your Miso Soup? I like a bit of Tofu, Scallions, Wakame, Spinach, and dried Shiitake Mushrooms!
It is refrigerated, I know that much. I usually just put scallions and seaweed.
I know your pain, I don't think any of those big grocery stores carry it b/c those are where I normally shop and never seen it. Your best bet is to try and find a Japanese grocery store.
Yes, look in the cold case.
Personally I like to just stir a spoonful of miso into any soup, at the table. It's better if you don't actually cook the paste. Actually I have been known to put miso into anything I'm eating! Even baked potatoes (topped with a dollop of hummus, it is glorious!) or sometimes, on toast. When I have a cold or the flu.
Don't however stir miso into a cup of tea. Ask me how I know this. ::)
What I want to know is, why tubs of miso are so inexpensive (for the amount you get and how long it lasts...it'll keep for a year in your fridge) and yet the envelopes of "miso soup" powder cost so darn much! A cup or so of miso in a tub costs me about 3 Euros and makes many, many cups of soup. And yet, an envelope to make about a pint of "miso soup" costs almost 5 Euros!!
I have seen it at Whole Foods... It was near the cheeses I believe.
Out east i've seen it at 'Stop & Shop' in the cold case in the vegy area, I haven't looked for it at 'Kroger' but it should be in the same area.
I've seen it at my whole foods near the tofu, cheeze, soy butter. I got mine at an international market and had to have someone locate it for me.
Contrary to everyone else, miso paste is not sold in cold sections where I live, but packages of the paste are sold at room temperature, usually in the health foods isle or the international foods isle.
Contrary to everyone else, miso paste is not sold in cold sections where I live, but packages of the paste are sold at room temperature, usually in the health foods isle or the international foods isle.
In our local organic shop, the mugi miso (barley) is sold on the shelf, too...and the jar isn't vaccuum sealed. I thought about it...the stuff is already fermented, right? And hatcho miso (red miso) has sooo much salt in it I'm not sure it could spoil if it tried.
In the Asian supermarket, they have miso labelled as such in the cold case, and then "soybean paste" in similar boxes on the shelves. I wonder if the "soybean paste" isn't fermented, or something. And yet the boxes are the same size and shape, just a different colour.
I saw it in my local WF just the other day. It was right next to the vegan cheese in the cooler. Hth ;)b
Contrary to everyone else, miso paste is not sold in cold sections where I live, but packages of the paste are sold at room temperature, usually in the health foods isle or the international foods isle.
In our local organic shop, the mugi miso (barley) is sold on the shelf, too...and the jar isn't vaccuum sealed. I thought about it...the stuff is already fermented, right? And hatcho miso (red miso) has sooo much salt in it I'm not sure it could spoil if it tried.
In the Asian supermarket, they have miso labelled as such in the cold case, and then "soybean paste" in similar boxes on the shelves. I wonder if the "soybean paste" isn't fermented, or something. And yet the boxes are the same size and shape, just a different colour.
in my experience, soybean paste is the same thing. Usually, though, "soybean paste" is a different brand as the "miso," so it's probably difference in translation. If it were the same brand though...? Not sure. If the ingredients involve fermented soybeans and salt, though, I'd say they're pretty interchangeable...
I've only found it on the shelves at room temp. At my Asian supermarket, they sell both red and white miso in plastic tubs. At the regular supermarket, they only sell white miso in the Asian food section. It comes in a vacuum sealed bag (which is a pain because I have to transfer it to another container), or they also sell it in single-serving packets (like ketchup packets), or miso soup mix, which comes with dehydrated seaweed and tofu. I buy the vacuum sealed bag because it's the best value for money.
I've only found it on the shelves at room temp. At my Asian supermarket, they sell both red and white miso in plastic tubs. At the regular supermarket, they only sell white miso in the Asian food section. It comes in a vacuum sealed bag (which is a pain because I have to transfer it to another container), or they also sell it in single-serving packets (like ketchup packets), or miso soup mix, which comes with dehydrated seaweed and tofu. I buy the vacuum sealed bag because it's the best value for money.
Me too, though the tub stuff melts better when it's cold. One brand sold for a while in a sturdy plastic reusable tub and then went to bags. When I bought one particular tub, the man in the shop said "Save it!" so I did. Now i just pop the bag in the tub.
But why are the miso soup dry-packets so much more expensive?
But why are the miso soup dry-packets so much more expensive?
Probably just for the convenience. On a side note, I bought three big bags of miso here in Japan where they are only like 1 dollar or so each and taking them with me home! :)