Koji

To fulfill this year’s plan to eat more fermented food, other than having water kefir grain to make fermented drinks, I ordered dried Koji to used in fermenting veg and meat. 

I hydrated Koji with water, seasoned with 25 % its weight in salt, keep at room temperature for a few days to properly swell up then keep in the fridge. 

This salted koji  (shio Koji) is used to pickle raw veg and meat, to soften, ferment and impart a salty umami flavour. First trial on julienned beetroot, and beetroot leaves, both worked well after a few hours. Effect is similar to miso, but for the same money you get more koji to use.