Miso

Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans. It’s tangy and cheesy and gives food what is known as umami flavor—a fifth taste used to describe strong, savory foods like mushrooms or foods with glutamic acid. Miso is available in different varieties, but I predominantly use mellow or white miso (also known as shiro miso). Chickpea miso is now widely available and can be used instead of soybean miso if preferred.