One of my favorite ways to cook salmon is to broil it with some type of marinade. I prefer wild salmon because it is less likely to contain chemicals and contaminants. It is also high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. I usually can find it at Kale's or Safeway in Hawai'i Kai. Last night, I prepared wild salmon shiro misoyaki.

Miso, made from fermented soybeans, is one of the more popular and versatile foods of Japan. The process of making miso goes back to pre-industrial Japan. Soybeans are cooked and then mixed with koji — grains or beans. Grains such as rice, barley or wheat (inoculated with aspergillus mold) are added to the soybeans along with salt and water. This mixture is allowed to ferment from one month to three years.

Based on the color and taste, miso can be divided into two groups. Shiro, or white, miso is light in color. Hatcho refers to the darker and longer-aged misos. White miso is high in carbohydrates because it has a higher proportion of grains to soybeans than do the darker varieties. Light miso, or sweet miso, is popular in Kyoto and southern Japan.

Recent studies show that miso is a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals. Sweet miso is higher in simple sugars and contains about two times the niacin and 10 times the lactic-acid bacteria of dark miso. Because it is made with fewer soybeans, it is lower in protein and fatty acids.

Misoyaki — yaki refers to grilling — is a technique in which ingredients are marinated in a miso-based mixture, then broiled or grilled.

Though healthful in terms of nutrients, this is a high-calorie recipe: The miso, brown rice syrup and mirin add considerable sugar, and salmon is a naturally fatty fish. To lighten this recipe, remove the salmon from the marinade before serving. The marinade accounts for about half the calories in the dish. Reserve this one for the occasional indulgence when you have company.

WILD SALMON SHIRO MISOYAKI

For the marinade: