My Koji Kick

Koji, which is a mold, is a key ingredient in Japanese fermented seasonings, like miso and shoyu, and Japanese sake. Since I made miso last spring, koji has become my new favorite!

I mix cooked rice and water with koji and warm it to about 60 degrees for a half day to ferment it until it becomes amazake (sweet sake but non-alcohol), and it is done!  In the Uonuma region of Niigata, pickles made with white radish, carrot, dried fish (herring) and fermented rice koji are well-known local dishes in winter.  Delicious rice and koji make good fermented koji rice. It is delicious and rich in nutrition.

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