What are your preferred brands of yellow miso and sesame oil?

[cyalexa]

I never know how to chose products in the Asian market. Of those likely to be available in the US, what is your preferred brand of

 

1. yellow miso

 

2. Sesame oil

 

thanks in advance

[gfron1]

Sesame oils vary but my current favorite is a Japanese brand, Kadoya

[heidih]

Oftentimes it more about turnover than the brand. I buy sesame oil generally from the Korean market as it is cheaper than the Japanese market and go for a midprice range in the glass versus plastic bottle unless I see a particular one in everyone's basket. My current one (stored in fridge) is Ottogi - distributed in the US down the road from me, a product of Korea.  My miso is the Japanese market's house brand - Nijiya - with organic soy beans. 

[FeChef]

Sesame oils vary but my current favorite is a Japanese brand, Kadoya

That brand is way too strong. Almost burnt smelling. I prefer a brand called international collection. The smell is very mild.

[FeChef]

Oh and i prefer me so easy.....i mean miso & easy. It really easy.

[heidih]

Sesame oils vary but my current favorite is a Japanese brand, Kadoya

 

I inherited a big tin of it with my rice cooker eons ago from a Korean family and used it all up. It was enjoyable. I use sesame oil sparingly and found it obviously, a good product. It was free so I would have pitched it if it was subpar. 

 

The very common brand I see in Japanese markets is Maruhon. Has a very simple sort of classy label. I found it just a but less rounded in flavor, but no side by side comparisons were made and tastes change over time. 

[Darienne]

We live in east central Ontario, Canada, and use Kadoya sesame oil. 

 

My big complaint is that we can't get the favored coconut milk, Mae Ploy.

[huiray]

I used Kadoya (which is Japanese) sesame oil for many years but eventually just found it too overpowering - and, as FeChef says, somewhat "burnt" in taste and smell. (In any case, the commonly available one here in the USA is from toasted sesame seeds, anyway)  Clean, "untoasted", if you will, sesame oil smells pleasant and can even be used (sparingly) as a cooking or stir-frying oil, not as an accent where more than a few drops results in a *very* pronounced taste and smell.  Nowadays I tend to use Dragonfly brand (Taiwanese) or Kimlan brand (also Taiwanese; this has a "stronger" taste/smell than Dragonfly).  I would never dream of using Kadoya sesame oil as a cooking oil.  Just me.  Note also that there is "black sesame oil" and "ordinary sesame oil". ;-) 

 

Regarding miso - I'm not sure what you mean by "yellow miso".  Do you mean miso paste which is the usual color, a sort of off-yellow (ranging from light yellow-ish) to deep yellow-brown (and then on to reddish brown, which is probably not what you are thinking of)?  Here's an article on miso that might be useful.  I use various types of miso and from various producers.  The one I use more is probably shiromiso ("white" miso, which is really a sort of pale yellow-brown) (see the article) and usually mutenka shiromiso at that (again, see the article).  Still, what I have in my fridge right now are: Shirakiku (producer/brand) akamiso (red miso); Miyasaka-Jozo (company) mutenka shiromiso; and Yamabuki (company) "organic" miso, which resembles a sort-of awasemiso in my view.  I have used the Maruman brands of mutenka shiromiso and awasemiso frequently in the past and will continue to do so, even though they are not in my fridge at the moment.

 

 

[takadi]

Has anyone ever tried La Tourangelle Sesame oil? Any difference flavor wise for such a steep price?

[Shel_B]

I like Trader Joe's toasted sesame seed oil ... good flavor, very good price, readily available, and works quite well in the dishes I use it for.  I've tried some higher end oils and just like TJ's better for my purposes.  However, I'll be watching this thread to see what else might be interesting a worth trying.

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31z7Dn9HUZL.jpg

Edited August 10, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[cyalexa]

Thanks to all who posted, I hope others will continue to do so.

 

I have made notes to take shopping.

 

Huiray, thanks for the link, the article was very informative. The one time I bought miso it was from Whole Foods because I also bought a piece of sea bass. The choices there were labeled "red", "yellow" and "white". I chose red and actually liked what I bought. As I don't use it frequently I may continue to buy only red, based on the info. re keeping characteristics.

Edited August 11, 2014 by cyalexa (log)

[huiray]

cyalexa, you're welcome. 

 

I do encourage you to buy some decent shiro miso the next time you are in an oriental market, though - and compare the difference in taste between a red miso and a white miso.  They'll keep in the fridge.  :-)  Who knows, you might develop a taste for miso soup in the morning or whenever.  ;-)

[Shel_B]

Has anyone ever tried La Tourangelle Sesame oil? Any difference flavor wise for such a steep price?

 

I saw some tins of La Tourangelle oil in a Target store yesterday. A lot less expensive than the on line stores I checked when I first read your post.

[Shel_B]

I like Trader Joe's toasted sesame seed oil ... good flavor, very good price, readily available, and works quite well in the dishes I use it for.  I've tried some higher end oils and just like TJ's better for my purposes.  However, I'll be watching this thread to see what else might be interesting a worth trying.

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31z7Dn9HUZL.jpg

 

Yesterday I went to the big Asian market in our community, and, amongst the items I bought was toasted (sometimes called Chinese, Asian, or Dark sesame oil) sesame oil.  I bought two brands because I wanted to compare them to TJ's oil.  Both were Asian brands, one Chinese and the other Japanese.

 

I made some peanut-sesame sauce last night and had an opportunity to compare all three oils.  There was very little difference between them as far as taste went, however, the TJ's oil was less expensive - 45.8 cents per ounce vs 54.8 cents for the Asian oils - and the TJ's oil was expeller pressed while the Asian oils may have been chemically extracted.  In the future, I'll stick with TJ's oil, however, I do want to try Spectrum's oil at some point.  It's an expeller pressed unrefined organic toasted sesame oil.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[ahpadt]

Does anyone know of untoasted sesame oils that are for sale in the UK? I find that the regular toasted version is very pungent.

[Kerry Beal]

The place I've found the untoasted sesame oil is in a Korean market - might start by checking there if you have such a thing close by.

[Naftal]

Hello- I am currently using Shirakiku brand sesame oil. It is not toasted as far as I know. And, the company is Japanese, but the oil is made in Taiwan.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Naftal (log)

[Norm Matthews]

My Korean ex and her mother used Kadoya in our restaurant and at home.  I don't recall any other brand in any Korean home I visited.  It's what I use too. I have not tried any other kind... yet.

[gcvsa]

In my family—we are Filipino—we have always used Kadoya, from Japan. For those who think Kadoya tastes "burned", you should know that Kadoya sesame oil is pretty much considered the gold standard by which all other brands are judged, much like Kikkoman is widely regarded as the standard of excellence in shōyu. Toasted sesame oil is meant to be used as a seasoning, only, not as a general cooking oil. It is used is very, very small amounts. If you want to cook with sesame oil, you need to find oil that is untoasted. If it's not specifically marked "raw" or "untoasted" or the like, it's probably toasted, especially if it's a Chinese or Japanese brand. 

 

Check with Indian markets; I have had good success finding untoasted sesame seed oil for cooking at Indian markets, because raw sesame oil is commonly used as a cooking oil in India. The particular Indian brand I used to buy in New Jersey escapes me at the moment. If you can't find any, Spectrum Organics and Napa Valley Naturals both market raw/untoasted sesame oil, though the prices are high. I do like to keep some around, though, because I occasionally use it in certain dishes where I want sesame oil, but don't want the very powerful flavor of the Kadoya oil.

As far as miso is concerned, I have most often bought Marukome brand, which is the largest brand of miso in Japan. Are there better ones? Probably, but Marukome is like buying Heinz ketchup or Hellmann's mayonnaise in the US. It's good enough for most people. By the way, there's no "yellow" miso; it's "shiro miso" (白味噌), which means "white miso", as opposed to "aka miso" (赤味噌）or "red miso", which is aged longer. Leave white miso on the shelf for a long time, and it will turn into red miso. The longer it ages, the stronger the flavour.

What I will *not* do is buy the Americanised brands of Asian foods, like Eden Foods, San-J, etc. Many of these brands are high quality goods sourced directly from Asia, but the price differential compared to buying Asian brands in Asian markets is astronomical. The same is true of the upscale American-made brands you find in co-op stores, gourmet stores, and health food stores. Don't be afraid to ask your Asian friends what they use; if you don't have any Asian friends, *make* friends! Although I read some Japanese and can generally differentiate Japanese products fairly easily, I don't read Chinese, at all, and have a lot of difficulty, for instance, choosing between different Chinese producers of Shiaoxing wine. The more people are willing to buy actual Asian brands, the easier it will be for me to find them. I currently live in a town where the nearest Asian market is about an hour's drive away, and they only stock about half the items I am accustomed to using.

Edited March 28, 2016 by gcvsa (log)

[gcvsa]

On 10/26/2014 at 2:08 PM, Naftal said:

Hello- I am currently using Shirakiku brand sesame oil. It is not toasted as far as I know. And, the company is Japanese, but the oil is made in Taiwan.

Shirakiku is actually a value-priced American brand owned by Wismettac Asian Foods (formerly Nishimoto Trading) that private labels Japanese and Chinese foods for the Asian-American market.

Edited March 28, 2016 by gcvsa (log)

[helenjp]

Untoasted oil - it's a very rare product in Japan. I've only regularly seen it in Middle Eastern groceries.

Kadoya sesame oil - that's what I use here in Japan, too. It's pressed, not chemically extracted. It's quite common to just add a small proportion of toasted sesame oil to a milder oil for dressings or even frying here - unusual to use it neat unless you are only using a very small amount. Some cheaper brands taste just fine, you really need to just try what's available and see what you like

"Yellow" miso is usually a blend of soy beans with other grains, and is not fermented for very long. Because it's the type that most people use, there is a huge variation - "pale" miso can be quite mild or quite salty. I don't know what you get in the US, but I would look for something that has been made with whole soybeans and actually fermented, and something that doesn't contain sake lees, barley malt, or other sweeteners to make it taste blander. Whether you like it with chunks of bean in it, or ground to a fine paste, is a matter of taste.

[Deryn]

I buy Kadoya sesame oil (it has a nice deep, long lasting flavour), and, because I should not eat soy products, I buy organic non-soy misos. The one I have in my fridge right now is Miso Master chickpea miso (made in the US).

[Tere]

I think of miso as so intrinsically soy bean flavoured from my years in Japan I am genuinely intrigued

[Thanks for the Crepes]

My little 6 oz. bottle of toasted sesame oil is Yissine brand from Rhee Bros. Inc., Korean Farm, Inc. and is a product of Taiwan. It makes sense because the pan Asian market where I buy it is Korean owned. The English nutrition label is kind of a hoot, because it says the calories per 1/12 bottle serving are 130 (about right), but that calories from fat are only 20.  There's nothing in it except the roasted sesame oil. The bottle is covered in characters I cannot read, but I don't let any of that stuff worry me a bit. I love the stuff. It goes a looong way, and that little bottle lasts me for years in the fridge, but what delicious nutty flavor for a finishing oil.

 

Now I wish I could find miso in the market. Anyone have suggestions where to look? The employees are usually quite unhelpful unless I catch the lady owner/manager? who is always very kind to me when she's there.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Thanks for the Crepes (log)

[Deryn]

Whole Foods usually stocks lots of different misos including the one I bought (non-soy, which came from the refrigerated section), Thanks for the Crepes. I trucked mine back from NC to NS and it did fine on the journey, cool packed.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Deryn (log)