Rev Robin's Reflections: Sansho Miso

Sansho is harvested (see previous post) - now, what to do with it? Make sansho-miso, of course! I absolutely LOVE this as a dip for raw veggies in the summer. It is especially wonderful with cucumbers fresh from the garden. It can be thinned with warm water if you find it too thick. Or sometimes I had some sesame oil and use it as a salad dressing. Smear it on some chicken - or put it on eggplant and broil it. Good stuff!

Now, here's the tough part - six months ago I found out that I am severely allergic to soybeans in every form and even in minute amounts. Soy is in everything...literally everything. It is hidden in foods you would never imagine and is known by many names. But that's a post for a different time.

Enter my new hero - chickpea miso! I've tried two different brands and this one is by far the best. I can't even remember what "real" miso tastes like. And it even fools my Japanese husband, Takashi.

Sansho Miso

1/4 cup sansho berries, crushed or coarsely chopped

3/4 cup miso

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup mirin

1/4 cup sake

dash of sesame oil optional

Mix miso, mirin, and sake in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add sansho. Increase heat to medium and boil gently for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add a splash of sesame oil if desired. As noted above, this can be thinned with warm water to desired consistency. Enjoy!