Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Miso paste produces a sweet, salty and vinegary sauce when diluted with water or wine, perfect for dipping and it's addictive. It's an extremely healthy, gluten free vegetarian soy based product. This item comes in the traditional paste form which is meant to be diluted with water (I use wine when making salad dressings), and it's pocketbook friendly. Don't bother with expensive pre-mixed small jars of Miso from the gourmet section. Buy this large portion of 'paste' and dilute it yourself and produce 10x's the amount for about the same price. The paste freezes well and when you need to dip into your freezer stash you only need a sturdy spoon to scoop out the appropriate portion because it doesn't freeze solid, (just like good vodka, heehee). I fold the bag at the top then rubber band it and stick it into a gallon zip lock bag before freezing. During Fall and Winter months I have freshly prepared Vietnamese Spring Rolls for breakfast and lunch almost every day. Spring roll ingredients hit all the places on your palette and it took me 2 years to discover the perfect sauce to compliment the rolls: Miso! Vietnamese spring rolls are basically a layered salad containing salty, sweet, savory, el-scorcho, creamy and crunchy, all stuffed inside a rice paper wrap and eaten by hand. My personal recipe: In large low-rimmed bowl or Tupperware, immerse a sheet of round rice paper in hot tap water for 10 seconds, shake off excess water and flatten the paper on top of a plastic cutting board and smooth out any wrinkles. On top of the wet paper, layer/stack modest portions of 9 ingredients. Work fast: Lay 2-3 pcs romaine lettuce (w/out core) just below the imaginary half way line of the paper. It's ok if lettuce sticks out slightly outside the edges of the damp rice paper. Scatter the following 8 ingredients on top of the full length of the lettuce, (don't pile everything into the middle) : 1/3 small avocado, 6-7 thin-sliver slices of serrano chilies, 10-12 thin slivers of scallions (white and green parts), 3 long thin cucumber sticks w/rind and few seeds as possible, 12 *Korean sweet black beans, 1Tbs fresh cilantro leaves, 3-4 thin slices of protein of your choice (shrimp is most popular but I'm allergic so I use pork tenderloin or tofu), 2 teaspoons diluted Miso paste, (consistency of heavy cream). Drizzle Miso over top of stacked ingredients then cover the short end of the rice paper over the stacked salad as best you can and continue rolling until the salad ends up inside the rice paper and it's in the shape of a roll which you can pick up and eat by hand. I never close the ends of my rolls but I think it's traditional to roll close the ends. I make 4 of these rolls every morning. Two for breakfast and two for lunch. The rice paper does NOT hold up beyond 5 hours in the fridge so don't make more than you can eat in 5 hours. I know it sounds like a weird breakfast but the serrano chilies rev up your metabolism and because the rolls hit all parts of your palette, it's an amazing way to begin the day. MISO is so healthy and addictive...I dilute it with white wine and add fresh garlic and ginger and use it as a salad dressing in all main course salads that have protein in them. *make your own sweet black beans, freezes well and they are meant to be 'toothy' not soft like your momma's beans. They are a crucial part of the salad roll because they bring to the table sweet, salty, savory and solid mouth-feel, so you won't miss protein if you decide to go vegetarian. Ingredients: 1 c black raw/dry soy beans (I just use regular black beans), 1 c water, 1/2 c soy sauce (not 'light'), 1/2 c sugar, 1 Tbs sesame oil. Directions: Add dry beans to cold water and bring to boil, reduce heat to a steady low boil and cook 15 minutes without lid, Reduce to simmer and add remaining ingredients, stir till sugar dissolves (30 seconds), simmer 10-15 minutes WITH LID. Pour beans and liquid into heat safe container and leave at room temp for about an hour. Strain liquid and refrigerate in a container with a lid. Stores well in fridge for up to a week. Personally, I wait until they're completely cooled in fridge then move them to the freezer, stored in a quart size zip lock baggie. When ready to use, take out the portion you need from the freezer and allow to thaw for about 15 minutes on a paper plate. Don't lay on paper towel directly onto counter, as it may stain some surfaces. Enjoy:D