These miso mashed root vegetables are silky, sweet and salty. A perfect creamy pillow for to a roasted fish or a nicely seared steak.
But let’s begin with a quick overview of what miso actually is.
Miso is a salty-sweet, umami rich fermented paste made of soybeans, salt and koji-inoculated rice, soy or barley. Koji – mold used in soy sauce and sake production, is also the key miso ingredient. It’s responsible for its fermentation which can last anywhere from a few months to several years.
There are somewhat 1000 types of miso in Japan. However, it can be divided in 2 general categories – white/light (Shiro miso) and red/dark (Aka miso). In North America we can also find Genmai miso – dark, chunky, barley-based type.
White (Shiro) miso – light, mild and sweet, fermented for a short time. Perfect for dressings, desserts and soups. Oh, and for people who just start adding miso to their cooking routine:)
Red (Aka) miso – has a deeper, saltier, more aged flavor. Color can vary anywhere from light red to almost black. It’s ideal for stews, marinades and hearty soups.
White or red, both miso types are delicious. Plus, they are exceptionally beneficial for our health due to the high concentration of probiotics. Keep in mind that, in order to take advantage of miso’s health benefits, high temperatures should be avoided whenever possible.
Having said all that – let’s jump into the first recipe of my Miso Series – Miso mashed root vegetables.
Miso mashed root vegetables – tips and considerations:
- In this recipe I went for a sweet and delicate taste of white miso. You can, however, try richer and umamier (is that a word?) red miso instead. If you do – I will be thrilled to hear how it turned out!
- I like mashing my sweet potatoes and carrots in a blender for smoother consistency. But If you don’t have one – not a problem! Use a ricer or masher (or even fork!) instead – it will yield a chunkier, but still delicious puree.
- Never process white potatoes in a blender as it will turn them into glue(!).
- Don’t heat your miso over high heat as it will kill all the beneficial bacteria.
- Leftovers puree mixed with chicken broth and toasted sesame oil make for an amazingly comforting fall soup.
More amazing miso based recipes:
- Chicken miso ramen
- Miso brownies (coming soon!)
Knowing that you use my recipes makes me so happy! If you end up making this Miso mashed root vegetables or any other recipes, please tag me @olesia.guts so I can see your creations!
Ingredients
- 2 medium (200 gr) carrots, peeled
- 1 (400 gr) white starchy potatoes (such as Russet)
- 1 (300 gr) sweet potato
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2,5 cups reg. or coconut milk
- 3 T Shiro (white) miso
- Toasted sesame oil and seeds for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Rub 1 T of oil, preferably coconut, into veggies (including unpeeled garlic cloves), wrap them tightly into a big piece of parchment and roast for 1.5 h, until VERY tender. Make sure your parchment wrapped “package” doesn’t have openings for the steam to escape, otherwise the veggies will just dry out and not cook through.
- When cooled enough to handle, peel white potatoes and mash with a potato masher or ricer, gradually adding 1 cup of warm milk. *Never process white potatoes in a blender as it will turn them into glue(!)
- Peel sweet potato and garlic and place into a blender cup along with carrots, miso and remaining milk (1,5 cup). Blitz until silky-smooth. If you don’t have a blender - you can use ricer or masher for this step as well - it will yield a chunkier puree but will still be delicious.
- Mix both purees into one and just warm through before serving. Don’t let it get too hot as the high heat will kill all the beneficial bacteria.
