Thick paste used in Japanese soups and sauces (4)
I believe the answer is:
miso
'thick paste used in japanese soups and sauces' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for miso that I've seen before include "Soya-beam paste" , "Thick paste used in Japanese soups and sauces" , "Soya bean paste" .)