Loving Miso

I don't like Miso soup or anything with Miso in it. But it changed when my friend introduced to me the Shiroi Miso or white miso and the ways on how to use it on cooking. I learned that Miso and Japanese Ryori Sake (Cooking Wine) could be a delicious combination.

For today's lunch I prepared Friend Chicken marinated in Miso, it's the easiest one I could remember among the recipes my friend taught me. It is easy, just mix the miso paste with the sake, making sure that the sake will not overpower the white miso, you can put a little water to dillute the miso paste. Add pepper and salt to taste. Then marinate the chicken in it overnight. It is best when grilled but fried also tastes good.

Because I woke up early, I was able to make a bear-shaped nori rice, because the chicken really go well with nori, it feels like you're in a Japanese Barbeque party. To make nori rice, I poured a little Japanese vinegar on the rice before I shaped it. I don't actually know why, but that's what Maila taught me.. hehe. For dessert was the can of mixed fruit on sale for Y100. Busog!

For dinner, we have Chili Sea Bass... o di ba.. parang sosyal! Back in Firipin, I always hear Sea Bass on the menu of the classiest restaurants, or in showbiz parties I see on The Buzz so I've always been curious what it is. I thought it was a kind of sea weeds hehe. Until my friend told me that Sea Bass is one of the cheapest fish you can buy here in Japan and it is called Saba here.

So I bought a pack of sliced Saba for Y278 and looked for a recipe which calls for sake and white miso. And so I found the Chili Sea Bass recipe and altered it so I won't have to buy what I don't have in the kitchen. This is fish is really flavorful, no wonder it has become a staple in gourmet dishes. O diba... parang sosyal na sardinas ang ulam namin... ;P

Ingredients:
6 slices of Sea Bass (preferably skinless)
3 cherry tomatoes (small tomatoes) or sliced tomatoes will do

for the spicy rub
3 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili pepper

for the sauce:
1 tablespoons White Miso
1 1/2 tablespoons Tomato paste or 1 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Mirin
1/4 cup Japanese Cooking Wine
Chili Pepper (depending on how spicy you want it, i put about a half a teaspoon since hubby doesn't like spicy.)

Steps:
1. Mix the ingredients for spicy rub then set aside.
2. Mix the ingredients for the sauce on a separate bowl then set aside.
3. Heat a small amount of oil in the pan. It should be hot but careful not to burn the oil.
4. Lightly dip the fish on the spicy rub then put in the pan. Fry in low heat so the fish will not lose its juiciness. Don't wait for it to become super brown, just cooked enough, fry around a minute.
5. When all the fish are fried, arrange it in the serving platter. Wash the pan or in a separate pan, heat the sauce until it boils then add the tomatoes.
6. Pour in the platter with the fish, then garnish with parsley.

It's delicious especially if you prefer food with different tastes, spicy, sweet and salty. =) I still hate Miso soup but I now have a newfound love affair with white miso and my cooking.