The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word MISO
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
M
I
S
O
More clues leading to the result MISO
- Something tasty one’s fed to doctor
- Pastrami sometimes contains paste used in Japanese cookery
- Some cream is only paste
- Japanese ingredient is included by Maureen
- Taste of umami: soup flavouring in Japan
- A salty thing, Boatman called ‘saint with heart of stone’
- Mushroom is overused somewhat as a savoury flavouring
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "A salty thing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a salty thing = miso.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MISO mean?
MISO noun- A thick paste made by fermentation of soybeans with the mold Aspergillus oryzae, used in making soups and sauces.