I love this stew! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and it’s a dish I enjoy guilt-free because it’s packed with nutrients, minerals, fiber, protein, and gut-healing properties.
Now, I make this dish in an effort to feed the family for a few days (if it makes it that far), so feel free to half the recipe if you wish but, if I was you, I’d just make it as is because it’s always a winner. Like many stews, it’ll just get better so if you’re a fan of leftovers then this is right down your alley. It’s also great for meal prep, just defrost, make a toasty, and devour. You can add or substitute the vegetables to suit your taste, but the potatoes become soft and beautifully tender which adds a heartiness to the dish. The pumpkin adds a subtle sweetness and the miso paste provides that rich umami(ness) to this dish.
WHAT IS MISO?
Miso means ‘fermented beans’ in Japanese. A traditional ingredient in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine, this paste is made from fermented soybeans and grains and contains millions of beneficial bacteria.
There are many different types of miso, with versions linked to regional cuisines, identities and flavours. This protein-rich paste adds the fifth taste, known as ‘umami’, and can be used in all sorts of dishes, including soups or broths, salad dressings, vegetables, stews, glazes and marinades. The length of time the paste ferments may affect flavour, producing a sweet to salty, rich taste.
When adding the paste to the stew, do not simmer/boil it for too long as this will kill most of the gut healing properties, hence us adding it to the stew at the very end. I just buy my miso paste from my local Chinese Supermarket at N1 City in Cape Town. They sometimes stock either or or both the Shinshu Dashi Iri miso and the Shinshu-style miso paste from the Hikari brand. The Shinshu-style contains dried tuna, for those of you are vegetarian.
benefits of miso
- Source of protective antioxidants
- May support gut health
- May promote vitamin levels
- May help in the fight against cancer
- May support immune function
- May support brain health
- May help alleviate menopausal symptoms
- May support cholesterol balance
- May support heart health
- May support bone health
different varieties of miso
The most common type of miso is made only from soybeans but the variety and ratio of the raw ingredients can vary. Some miso pastes are made from cultured wheat or millet, or combinations of different grains and beans. The colour is a fairly good indicator of the strength of flavour and the texture may vary also, with miso made from wholegrains typically saltier than that made from a hulled grain.
White miso (shiro)
Made from soybeans and rice and fermented for no longer than two months. Shiro (‘white’ in Japanese) is light in colour and sweet to mildly salty. Shiro is a great ‘gateway’ miso – it’s very versatile, providing a bit of oomph to salad dressings or fried vegetables.
Yellow miso (shinsu)
Another mild version that is fermented for slightly longer than white miso. Yellow miso is adaptable in a wide range of recipes.
Red miso (aka)
If a recipe calls for dark miso, you’ll want to use an aka or red miso. Russet in colour, this type is made from a higher proportion of soybeans, fermented for up to three years and has a saltier and deeper flavour. It is best used in hearty dishes like stews and tomato sauces. Use with caution because its flavour can overpower other ingredients.
Barley miso (mugi)
Made from barley and soybeans, mugi miso usually has a longer fermentation process than most white miso. It has a strong barley aroma, but is mild and slightly sweet in flavour.
overview
preparation
Start by weighing all of the individual ingredients by weighing them out, peeling and dicing. This’ll make your cooking experience much more enjoyable.
time:
This recipe requires you to hang around the stove for the first 15minutes while you sauté the onions, aromatics and mince. Thereafter you really only need to give it a stir every now again until the potatoes are tender. You’ll then add the miso paste (allow it to simmer not boil) and thicken it up with a dah of cornstarch.
choice of veggies and protein:
Technically, you could use the base of this stew and create a chicken or vegetable version. Just swop out the beef mince for chicken mince or more vegetables. You could also mix up the vegetables you decide to use, just keep an eye on the amount of water used because if you add the full 2 liters of water and use softer vegetables like baby marrows and butternut that cook faster, you’ll sit with a watery stew (if that’s your thing then great but you know what I mean). Cooking root vegetables or harder vegetables require more water because they take longer to cook, hence the recipe requiring 2 liters of water.
Miso Beef Mince Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 15 grams fresh ginger finely diced
- 2 tbsp beef/vegetable/chicken stock powder see note 1
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp dried crushed chilies or fresh, see note 2
- 1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary finely chopped
- 1 kg lean minced beef
- 2 liters water warmed
- 500 g potatoes peeled & quartered, see note 3
- 600 g pumpkin peeled & cut into large chunks, see note 3
- 1.5 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
- 135 grams white or yellow miso paste see note 4
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Firstly, bring a large saucepan to medium-high heat. Add olive oil, diced onion, garlic, ginger, stock powder, turmeric, black pepper, crushed chilies, rosemary and bay leaves. Sauté for 5mins or until the onions have become translucent and the spices have started to brown.
- Add the beef mince and vigorously mix the raw mince with the onion mixture to ensure that the mince doesn't clump up together. Sauté for 8-10mins or until the beef has started to brown.
- Add 2 liters of warm/boiling water, potatoes, pumpkin, and red or white wine vinegar to the mince and bring to a boil, then drop the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered until the potatoes are tender.
- Once the vegetables are tender, turn the heat to low. Remove the bay leaves and add the miso paste and stir well. Note: I add some of the stew liquid to the miso paste to loosen it up before adding it to the stew. Also, dilute the cornstarch in 2 tbsp room temperature water and add it to the stew. Allow to simmer on low heat for 5mins. Remove from the heat and salt to your taste but take note, miso paste has quite a high salt content. Note: if you'd like the stew to be thicker then lightly break some of the vegetables to add more body.
- Allow to rest while you prepare your serving bowls, toasties and butter. Enjoy, Tastebud!
Video
Notes
- Stock: I use whatever stock I have (beside fish stock of course). Beef, chicken and vegetable stock work in this recipe. So depending on what you use you'll yield a different flavour profile.
- Chilies: Feel free to use dried crushed chilies or fresh ones. Yo can also increase the heat level as per your personal preference.
- Vegetables: The potatoes and pumpkin were weighed after being peeled. I've made this recipe mostly using potatoes and pumpkin (Jarrahdale variety) but I've also substituted them with zucchini, butternut, sweet potato and cabbage. Note that the pumpkin will cook faster than the potatoes so I make sure they're cut into larger chunks than the potato.
- Miso Paste: When adding the miso paste to the stew, do not simmer for too long as this will kill most of the gut healing properties, hence us adding it to the stew at the very end. I just buy my miso paste from my local Chinese Supermarket at N1 City in Cape Town. They sometimes stock either or both the Shinshu Dashi Iri miso and the Shinshu-style miso paste from the Hikari brand. The Shinshu-style contains dried tuna, for those of you are vegetarian.