Nikumiso is an amazing condiment to add on top of side dishes like rice, noodles or vegetables. Pork mince and mushrooms are braised in classic Japanese seasonings, then simmered down to perfection.
In This Post You’ll Learn
Why We Love This
Nikumiso makes a great little side dish when you need something extra to go alongside bigger meals such as okonomiyaki or chicken nanban.
A super versatile condiment, keep a batch in the fridge or freezer and you can use it for anything from a topping, stuffing or as the star of the dish alongside rice or udon noodles.
Related: Simmered Daikon / Sushi Rice
9 Most Popular Ways to Enjoy Nikumiso
Nikumiso is a staple in many Japanese homes, often enjoyed in a wide range of ways such as:
• Served over a small bowl of sushi rice as a side dish.
• As a filling for onigiri rice balls.
• Make a rice bowl, add your favourite vegetables, top with nikumiso and Kewpie mayonnaise.
• Add a portion of nikumiso to a bento box and serve cold.
• Add to a bowl of tantanmen ramen or top on tsukemen.
• Pair with udon noodles to turn it into nikumiso udon.
• Top on hiyayakko (cold tofu) or simmered daikon.
• Make nikumiso dengaku – eggplant stuffed with nikumiso. Or swap the eggplant out for capsicum!
• Wrap with lettuce as an entree or light snack.
What is Nikumiso?
Nikumiso (肉味噌) translates to miso meat. It’s a thick sauce made from pork mince, mushrooms and popular Japanese seasonings such as sake, soy sauce and red miso paste.
It’s often served as a side dish or accompaniment to a meal, found in both restaurants and homemade on the tables of many Japanese households.
What You’ll Need
- Red Miso Paste – Sub with half red and half white miso paste or just white for milder flavour.
- Pork Mince – The star of the dish! Get the freshest, best quality available for the best results.
- Mushrooms – White button mushrooms work well, or sub for any variety you like!
- Sugar – This balances out the saltiness from the soy sauce and red miso paste.
- Soy Sauce – Use a Japanese brand if possible such as Kikkoman, as it is lighter in flavour and salt than other varieties such as Chinese or cheap soy sauce brands.
- Cooking Sake – Adds another depth to the flavour and helps to tenderise the pork mince. Get cooking sake at an Asian grocer, in your local Asian aisle at the supermarket or sub with Chinese cooking wine.
- Garlic and Ginger – Fresh chopped ginger and garlic work best. It gives the broth a nice flavour punch!
Wandercook’s Tips
- Storage – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month or two.
FAQs
While nikumiso is traditionally made with pork, just swap it out for firm tofu, broken down into a tofu mince and you’ll have a just-as-tasty vegan version!
Variations
- Protein – Swap out the pork for beef, chicken, or even turkey.
- Mushrooms – Swap button mushrooms for Japanese favourites such as shimeji, shiitake or enoki varieties.
Try these amazing recipes next:
★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp red miso paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking sake
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 250 g pork mince 8 oz
- 4 mushrooms finely diced
- ⅓ cup water 100 ml / 3.4 fl oz
- spring onion / green onion optional extra topping, sliced thinly
Instructions
- Place the red miso paste, sugar, soy sauce, cooking sake, garlic and ginger in a small bowl and mix well to form a sauce paste.2 tbsp red miso paste, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp cooking sake, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the pork mince and fry until browned, around 3 minutes.1 tbsp vegetable oil, 250 g pork mince
- Add the mushrooms and fry for 1-2 minutes until softened.4 mushrooms
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the sauce paste and water. Stir through and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.⅓ cup water
- Serve topped on rice, and garnish with optional spring onion / green onion.spring onion / green onion
Recipe Notes
- Storage – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month or two.
- Protein – Swap out the pork for beef, chicken, or even turkey.
- Mushrooms – Swap button mushrooms for Japanese favourites such as shimeji, shiitake or enoki varieties.
Nutrition
No Comments