醤油と味噌、日本の味の二本柱
醤油と味噌は日本料理の基本的な調味料です。両方とも大豆から作られています。醤油（しょうゆ）は、大豆を水、塩、酵母と一緒に発酵させて作られます。醤油は料理に使われるだけでなく、食事の際に調味料としても使用されます。味噌は蒸した大豆を塩と酵母（麹）と混ぜ合わせて作られます。麹は異なる種類の穀物に麹菌を加えて作ります。米麹を使ったのが米味噌、麦麹を使ったのが麦味噌です。この混合物は大きな木の樽で熟成されます。味噌の色は黄金色から暗い茶褐色まで様々で、塩味、粘度、香りも異なります。もちろん、味噌汁の作りに使われます。魚の調理や漬け込む際にも使われます。味噌は漬物（つけもの）を作る際にも使われます。味噌は元々中国から伝わり、貴族の間では薬としても使われていました。鎌倉時代になると、武士階級の間で「一汁一菜」の習慣が広まり、その結果、味噌汁が一般的になりました。もし「昔なつかしい家庭料理」のリストを作るよう求められたら、ほとんどの日本人はそのリストの一番上に味噌汁を挙げるでしょう。
Thisi is a HOSHINOYA MADE IN JAPAN Radio. episode 24, "Soy Sauce and Miso: The Twin Pillars of Japanese Flavor".
Soy sauce and bean paste are two basic flavorings of Japanese cuisine. Both are made from soybeans. Soy sauce (shoyu) is made by fermenting soybeans with water, salt, and yeast Soy sauce is used in cooking and as a condiment when food is served. Miso is made by mixing steamed, mashed soybeans with salt and yeast (koji), a fermenting agent. Koji is made by adding kojikin to different types of grains. Kome miso is made with rice koji. Mugi miso is made with barley. The mixture is aged in large wooden barrels. Miso varies in color from a golden yellow to a dark brownish red. It also varies in saltiness, consistency and aroma. It is of course used in making miso soup. It is also used in cooking or marinating fish. Miso is also used in making pickled vegetables (tsukemono). Miso originally came from China and was used as medicine among the nobility. In the Kamakura period, the custom of having “one soup and one dish” became common among the warrior class. As a result, miso soup became common. If asked to make a list of “good old home cooking,” most Japanese would put miso soup at the top of the list.
