Soy pastes

Soy pastes are fermented products prepared from cooked soybeans, a family of seasonings that includes Japanese miso and Korean doenjang. Fermentation by moulds, yeasts, and bacteria develops their deep savoury umami flavour, and longer fermentation gives a richer, darker, more complex product. They are used mainly as seasonings in soups, marinades, dressings, and sauces, where a spoonful adds depth that is hard to achieve otherwise. Their salt content and the competitive microbial ecology of the ferment contribute to preservation, but commercial pastes are still packed hygienically and stored as the label directs.