Miso, or
bean paste, is a
Japanese condiment made from fermented soy beans, rice or barley and
salt. There are various versions of miso, generally classified as white or
shiro miso and red or
aka miso. The difference between the two versions is that shiro miso is sweeter while aka miso is saltier.
Miso
is widely used in the Japanese cuisine mainly in soups, sauces, dips,
dressings and marinades. It is rich in B vitamins and protein due to
the fact that it comes from soy beans, but it is also high in sodium.