While we tend to talk about miso in the singular, in actuality, Japan has several regional varieties with their own flavors and production processes. Miso is one of the quintessential ingredients in washoku(Japanese cuisine). However, many outside of Japan know it mainly as a soup—despite its various uses. The basic ingredient in miso is soybeans, and depending on the type of miso, rice koji (malt), mugi (barley) and/or salt are also used in the production process. As a fermented food, miso comes with plenty of health benefits that aid our digestion and packs in lots of antioxidants that help …