As you may already know, there are various types of miso. Chefs often use three types of miso depending on the dishes: white miso (Shiro or Saikyo miso), red miso (Aka-miso), and blended miso (Awase-miso).
Blended miso, made by mixing white and red miso or mixing two or more kinds of miso, has a higher level of richness and umami. The difference between white and red miso mainly comes from their production methods. The production method of red miso includes a long period of steaming soybeans and more than one year of the aging process. On the other hand, the one of white miso consists of a short period of boiling soybeans and several months of the aging process. With some other differences in the making process, they produce different colors and tastes in the end.
What is Saikyo Miso?
If you are familiar with Japanese cuisine, you might have heard of the miso called Saikyo miso. People often think that Saikyo miso and white miso are two different things. The truth is, it is a kind of white miso, and there is no difference in production methods.
Saikyo miso was born in Kyoto about 200 years ago. Back then, Kyoto had a different name, Saikyo (literally meaning “the Western capital city”), and people started calling it Saikyo miso for this reason.
So, which miso can we call Saikyo miso today? The answer is, miso that meets the following criteria can be called “Saikyo Miso” in the product name. Here are the requirements.
1. Definition
A low-salt, sweet-tasting white miso produced in Kyoto Prefecture by a company belonging to the miso association in Kyoto, using ingredients approved by the association and certified for quality by the association.
2. Certified Quality by the Committee of the Association
The quality of the miso must be approved by the quality review committee established within the association.
3. Production Technology
The applicant must meet one of the following:
(a) The company must have been in business in Kyoto Prefecture for at least 50 years or employ someone with a Level 1 or higher certification.
(b) The applicant must have won an award at a contest sponsored by the National Miso Cooperative Association or have equivalent manufacturing technology.
How Does Saikyo Miso Taste?
In general, Saikyo miso has a lower level of saltiness and tastes sweeter and lighter than other types of miso. The rice malt used is more than red miso, resulting in miso with less salt and more sweetness.
This kind of miso was a big part of the ceremonies at the Imperial Court in Kyoto back then. For that reason, they developed the miso for its more luxurious sweetness and beautiful appearance than for its shelf life. The shelf life of this miso is about two to three months in the refrigerator after opening. However, please always check the expiration date listed on the package. Even today, the appearance of the miso is smooth, and you can feel the creamy richness of the rich rice malt and the sweet aroma of fermentation. With no strong miso aroma and a soft flavor, chefs create a “Kyoto-style” flavor.
How to Cook with Saikyo Miso
Let’s see what dishes you can make with Saikyo miso. Due to its sweet flavor, this type of miso is suitable for marinating fish or meat. The dish called saikyo-yaki is grilled fish or meat that has been marinated in a bed of Saikyo miso mixed with mirin and sake. It is usually used with fatty fish, such as salmon and silver cod. Because these fish are rich in fat, they can bring the best out of the sweetness of this unique miso.
Chicken saikyo yaki is also another popular dish because the miso improves the dry texture of meat. Even though the meat itself is dry, the creaminess of the miso makes the chicken tender if you cook accurately.
What are other ways to use this miso? Miso soup made with Saikyo kind makes an elegant miso soup that you could potentially enjoy at a high-end Japanese restaurant. You can even make gratin because the richness of the miso goes well with the creaminess of dairy products.
From the points above, we can easily understand that Saikyo miso is versatile and that chefs choose this kind of miso for cooking a variety of dishes.
Learn the Secret Technique by Master Chef!
Today, using saikyo miso has its advantages because it’s credited as a high-end product recognized by professional chefs worldwide. Also, if you want to take your cooking skills to another level for daily cooking as a home chef, you should know how to use the miso properly.
Cooking dishes with miso seems easy, but it requires skills. We will be happy to have you for the salmon saikyo-yaki course on our platform. We also have a class using chicken as well. Let’s learn how to make restaurant-quality dishes with this special miso in our class!
