Miso, the fermented paste made from soybeans, is used in a variety of dishes in our home. The sweet white kome miso, based on rice, is used for salad dressings, with nerigoma (toasted sesame paste), and as a marinade for fish with mirin and sake. We also use miso for miso soup, as well as for a variety of Western style dishes like spaghetti dressing, chili, with ground meat when making tacos, and in salad dressings with vinegar and olive oil. Miso is rich in natural umami so it adds another level of flavor to most dishes.
The following site, of the Japan Federation of Miso Manufacturers Cooperatives, is packed with information about miso.
http://www.miso.or.jp/en/index.html
