The soya bean is one of the most nutritious beans in the world and is particularly high in protein. For thousands of years, the Chinese have called the soya bean "the meat of the earth". Soya is now grown all over the world and is used for a range of different foods.

Miso
Miso is fermented curd made from soya beans. In Japanese cuisine, miso accompanies a variety of dishes. Miso is mainly used in soups or for pickling, as a marinade or as a side dish for grilled food. Many Japanese eat miso soup for breakfast or as a starter for lunch and dinner. There are different types of miso, each with its own special characteristics. Miso is made from crushed, cooked soya beans to which wheat, barley or rice is added. It is then fermented. The mixture matures for several months. There are sweeter, firm varieties or salty ones with a yellowish colour. Reddish miso is available in savoury and sweet forms. Hatcho miso has the strongest flavour.

Soya sauce
Soya sauce was used as a preservative before the invention of the fridge. Soya sauce is made from soya beans, wheat and salt. Nowadays, however, you can also buy gluten-free soya sauce. The soya beans are roasted and mixed with a specific bacterium. The resulting bacterial culture is called koji and is cultivated for three days. The koji is mixed with brine to form a mass that ferments for about a year. Finally, the raw soya sauce is strained and refined.

Tofu
In China, tofu has been around for 2000 years. It came to Japan around the 8th century. Tofu is made from dry soya beans, which are soaked in water, crushed and then cooked. The milk and solids are then separated. A coagulant is added to the milk to obtain a curd-like structure. The curd is poured into moulds and soaked in water to give it its solid form and keep it fresh. Occasionally, the skin that forms on the soya milk is offered as a delicacy.

Tempeh
Tempeh is a product made from soya beans that is formed into balls or cubes and has a crunchy texture. Tempeh has a rather neutral flavour.

Edamame
Edamame are the young soya beans with their green sprouts. They are blanched and eaten in salads or as a side dish.