What is miso?
Miso is made from fermented soy beans and comes in the form of paste. Sometimes it contains rice or barley or other ingredients. It is used in soups, sauces and marinades.

Are there different varieties?
Yes. The main ones are sweet white miso, nonsweet white miso and red miso. There is also a paste called ‘awase miso’ which means it is a mixture of red and white.

Which one shall I use? 
Usually you can use any one of them. I often buy ‘awase miso’, which is versatile and can be used for lots of different purposes. Sweet white miso is most often used for marinades whilst red miso makes a rich and salty soup. I usually specify which variety to go for, but if you aren’t sure, don’t worry you can’t go too far wrong!

Is it easy to find?
Yes you can find it in supermarkets, Asian stores and online. Supermarkets often sell individual sachets for miso soup. If you are using miso in a dish, you should try and find a larger pot. Miso lasts for ages so you can keep it in the fridge or freezer.