White Asparagus in Miso with Oysters, Cucumber Oil, and Small Fish

On account of its abundance of proteins, minerals, and vitamins, miso has been, and continues to be, an important nutritional resource in Japan. It is most often used to make miso soup. The soybean paste contributes additional umami to the soup, which is already loaded with savory taste substances from the dashi on which it is based. Miso can also be used to season oven-roasted or deep-fried vegetables. Deep-fried eggplants with miso (nasu dengaku) (page 115)