Miso (味噌, Miso) is a traditional Japanese food produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the mold kÅjikin (麹èŒ, kÅjikin) (the most typical miso is made with soy). The result is a typically thick paste used in sauces and spreads, to pickle vegetables or meats, and mixed with dashi soup stock and served as miso soup called Misoshiru (味噌æ±, Misoshiru), a Japanese culinary staple. High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, miso played an important nutritional role in feudal Japan. Miso is still very widely used in Japan, both in traditional and modern cooking, and has been gaining world-wide interest. Miso is typically salty, but its flavour and aroma depend on various factors in the ingredients and fermentation process. Different varieties of miso have been described as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, and savoury, and there is an extremely wide variety of miso available.