Makino Naoko’s Yogurt Miso: A Smooth, Refreshing Fermented Flavoring to Keep You Healthy This Summer!

On a hot summer’s day, you want to spend the least possible time in the kitchen and keep meals super simple. And if you can enjoy something refreshing that goes down smoothly, even when you have no appetite, that’s even better.

One food that cover all those bases is yogurt miso, which culinary expert and registered dietitian Makino Naoko tells us about here. We also ask her about Chinese fermented black soybeans marinated in soy sauce, which she always keeps a supply of.

Registered dietitian Makino Naoko has been having yogurt for breakfast for 30 years.

Makino Naoko has had many opportunities to develop yogurt-based recipes, including strained yogurt and yogurt marinades, which are back in the spotlight these days. In her private life, she eats yogurt every morning for breakfast, and she’s convinced of its health benefits.

“I’ve been eating yogurt every morning for thirty years, and I hardly ever catch a cold, nor do any of my family. It’s something you can stick to because it tastes so good. I like to eat it with dried fruit.”

Besides being a good source of protein and fat, dairy products are also rich in calcium. “Women especially should consume plenty of dairy, since they’re susceptible to osteoporosis. I often hear people say they can’t drink much milk now that they’re all grown up. Well, yogurt is easy to eat and has almost the same nutritional value as milk. Besides, it contains lactic acid bacteria, so it has the potential to maintain intestinal health and boost immunity.”

There are many different types of yogurt available at the store. How should you choose among them? While the flavor and consistency you prefer are important, here’s what Naoko recommends. Each brand has its own lactic acid bacteria that do something extra on top of maintaining intestinal health. Choose on that basis.

“Many different types of lactic acid bacteria have been developed. For example, there’s Lactobacillus gasseri SP Strain, which is recognized to reduce visceral fat. 1073R-1 lactic acid bacteria have been found effective in preventing the flu and other infections. Why not choose the variety right for what ails you? Once you’ve decided, it’s important to stick to it.”

For great mains and sides, get into the yogurt miso habit.

One way that Naoko regularly uses yogurt in her cooking is in the form of “yogurt miso.” Yogurt and miso are two fermented foods found in most homes, and just by mixing them, you can easily make a seasoning bursting with umami flavors.

“The yogurt alleviates the miso’s saltiness, and the miso alleviates the yogurt’s sourness, resulting in a smooth flavor. You can use this mix as a dip à la Japanese-style mayonnaise. Or use it as a medium for pickling vegetables. It leaves them nice and juicy, with a mild saltiness and refreshing taste. And it involves none of the hassle of tending to a rice-bran pickling bed. I’d definitely recommend it in the hot summer months.”

To prepare a main dish on a busy day, all you have to do is marinate meat or fish in yogurt miso. “You can then keep the item in the freezer to use later when making bento. Now that’s handy.”

The recipe for yogurt miso and vegetables pickled in it.
It’s a cinch to make!

Tasty, time-saving yogurt miso serving suggestions

With its mildly salty, refreshing taste, yogurt miso has many other uses as well. Naoko especially recommends using it to flavor stir-fries.

“Just stir-fry meat and vegetables and add yogurt miso. It’s an amazingly simple dish to make. It has a rich, mellow flavor, yet it tastes so light and refreshing. Adding a little grated garlic gets your mouth watering even more, making this a great dish when the summer heat has taken away your appetite. Instead of meat, yogurt miso also tastes delicious with fish— swordfish, for example — sliced diagonally and stir-fried. In addition, it makes a great sauce for foods baked in aluminum foil.”

Stir-fry 200 g of chopped pork, half a red bell pepper, and quarter of an onion in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Flavor with two tablespoons of yogurt miso combined with a little grated garlic.

Chinese fermented black soybeans marinated in soy sauce add a subtle twist to any dish with their full-bodied flavor.

“Before the Covid pandemic, I would get together with fellow cooking enthusiasts to make various fermented food-themed dishes and study fermented foods,” says Naoko. “One thing I learned about from them was Chinese fermented black soybeans marinated in soy sauce.”

“Chinese fermented black soybeans are salty, so you need to chop them into small pieces before using them. Marinating them in soy sauce makes them easier to handle. It softens them up so they can be sliced more easily. There’s this black bean paste made from Chinese fermented black soybeans you can buy. They’re easy to use in that form, but when you check the ingredients, it’s surprising how many different things are in there. I prefer marinating the beans in soy sauce myself. It’s simpler.”

It’s been a decade since Naoko started keeping a regular supply of Chinese fermented black soybeans marinated in soy sauce. “Putting a little in mapo tofu, fried rice, or stir-fries enhances the flavor by adding richness and umami.”

What are Chinese fermented black soybeans anyway?

Some readers may not be familiar with Chinese fermented black soybeans. Called douchi in Chinese, they’re made by fermenting black soybeans in salt, koji, and yeast and then letting them dry out. They’re extremely salty, so they’re only used in small amounts. But they have a deep, full-bodied umami and distinctive flavor that make your Chinese dishes more authentic.

How to marinate Chinese fermented black soybeans in soy sauce — and surprising ways to use them

Simply add five tablespoons (90 milliliters) of soy sauce to 30 grams of Chinese fermented black soybeans. Store them in the fridge and use up within six months to a year. “You can use the soy sauce as well as the beans. It’ll have absorbed the aroma of the fermented beans, so to give foods a more authentic flavor, simply drizzle it on. Try, say, concocting a Chinese-style carpaccio sauce by combining it with sesame oil.”

Naoko also told us about an ingredient just right for those who’d prefer to stick with domestic Japanese ingredients: a variety of fermented soybeans called hama natto. These are produced in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, among other places. They’re made by fermenting domestically grown soybeans with koji fungus, salting them, and drying them in the sun. The most distinctive thing about hama natto is that they contain thin strips of ginger. They resemble Chinese fermented black soybeans in how they’re made. “They’re a really traditional food. The first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, who was something of a health freak and lived to a ripe old age, was famously fond of them. They’re somewhat less of an acquired taste than Chinese fermented black soybeans. I use them just like you would olives or anchovies.”

Hama Natto produced by Yamaya Shoyu in Hamamatsu. They resemble Chinese fermented black soybeans.