How to Use Your Rice Koji
Moromi Dehydrated Rice Koji
Rice Koji is rice on which a special koji mold has been cultivated. Koji has been cultivated for centuries in the production of soy sauce, miso, amazake and sake. After growing our Koji on medium grain white rice, we carefully dehydrate and package it into 150g pouches.
Rice koji is used in culinary preparations as a means of transforming complex starches and proteins into simple sugars and amino acids through the action of the koji enzymes. Koji enzymes can be used to convert the starch in rice, for example, to produce amazake, a sweet rice drink and sweetener. Rice koji is also used as a marinade for meats and vegetables in the form of “Shio Koji”. The enzymes in Shio koji break down complex proteins in meat to create amino acids which are the basis for the umami flavor we crave in many Asian cuisines. One of the most common uses of rice koji is to make miso, a fermented bean paste.
How to Use Your Rice Koji
SHIO KOJI
Combine 150 g of dehydrated rice koji with 350g water and stir in 50g of sea salt. Cover loosely with a clean towel. Stir daily for 1 week at room temperature. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a year. To use, toss fresh cut vegetables in a tablespoon or two and allow to sit for 30 minutes prior to sautéing. Use in dressings to add an umami kick to your favorite salads. For meats, marinate cuts of beef, pork, or chicken in a few tablespoons of shio koji overnight in the fridge. Wipe or rinse off prior to cooking for an umami packed sauté, grilled or baked entrée.
AMAZAKE
Combine 950 ml warm tap water, 150g dehydrated rice koji and 225 grams of freshly cooked rice cooled to body temperature in a jar or bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let ferment at room temperature overnight. As the koji breaks down the rice starches, the amazake will increase in sweetness. Puree in a blender and drink as is or combine with fresh fruits to make an amazake smoothie. Amazake is also used as a sweetener in baked goods and desserts.
MISO
Miso is a more technically advanced preparation. If this is your first attempt at making miso, we recommend you research recipes in “Miso Tempeh Natto” by Kristen Shockey.
