# shio koji?



## spoiledbroth (Jan 14, 2017)

worth seeking out rice koji to make? seems interesting as hell and I kinda want to get into pickling. please halp


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## pleue (Jan 14, 2017)

I put that **** in everything. Super easy to make, inoculated rice can be had at most home brew shops in my experience or they can get it. Pickles, marinades, salad dressings, brines, etc. you can also get a shio koji paste pre packaged in most Japanese supermarkets now.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jan 17, 2017)

Spoiled, did you make any progress on this project? I picked up three packages of shio koji and want to get busy with it. 

I'm going to try this approach and report back. 

http://www.justonecookbook.com/how_to/how-to-make-shio-koji/


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## spoiledbroth (Jan 17, 2017)

Naw man waiting on some money to come through then I plan to order some on Amazon! Post pics of the product you bought, what you make and your thoughts if you can remember please sir!

Im excited


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## woyuskinny (Jan 17, 2017)

I've used Cold Mountain brand for sake and it certainly did what it was supposed to do. I've also used Gem Cultures brand spores for a shoyu attempt some years ago. The metabolism got a away from me a bit and the temperature got a bit high, causing the mycelium to spore (turns green) before the mycelium had fully colonized the rice. You're supposed to avoid this unless you are specifically wanting to harvest spores. It's certainly fun to work with A. oryzae. It has such a pleasant, clean sort of aroma.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jan 26, 2017)

Wanted to thank Spoiled for introducing me to this amazing product.

Update: So I got some Koji (amazon) and prepared it by loosening the grains, then rubbing them with salt and submerging them in water left at room temp for a week to ferment. 

So, I left mine in a quart Ball jar with a loose lid and gave it a shake every day or so. The rice made the water a little cloudy but it really just looked like rice soaking in water. Almost no smell at all, smelled kinda like whey. I wanted the texture to be creamy not lumpy so I have it a 10 sec spin in the Blendtec. 

The deal is, you use this stuff as you would salt. There are recipes that call for it in just about anything you use salt for.

My first application was simple, boring chicken breast. I figure that was a good blank pallet to start with. I just put the breast in a bag with a few tablespoons of shio koji and let them marinade for an hour or so. I pan seared them and did not wipe the koji off. Hold ****, ding ding ding, game changer.....

Observations:
1.) The breast developed an amazing brown crust very quickly. I think this is due to the sugars that were released by the Koji amylase. The flavor is hard to describe as it really isn't a flavor at all. It gave the breast a sweet and savory but super juicy taste. Everybody at the table (kids and adults) we really impressed, even if they looked at me funny when I said Shio Koji.

I'm going to use it in other applications. How could this amazing ingredient now be discussed more? Seems crazy as it has such a beneficial impact on foods. Pro's out there should really give this a consideration. You'll be able to enhance every dish with a gluten free enzyme rich health additive that doesn't add any flavor but improves everything it goes in. I'm with it, you should be too.


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## daveb (Jan 26, 2017)

Damnit Dennis. Every time you write up something you end up costing me money


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## TheCaptain (Jan 26, 2017)

Ditto...already in my amazon cart.


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## fimbulvetr (Jan 26, 2017)

I really like shio koji. A lot. The ready-made stuff I've purchased from Amazon seems to be softer and creamier than what I've achieved making it at home; I've ended up blending mine as well.

Still haven't tried making shoyu koji yet. That's on my list next, as well as culturing my own rice.... 

Rabbit holes, man.


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## cheflivengood (Jan 26, 2017)

Now y'all just need some MSG


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## Mucho Bocho (Jan 26, 2017)

I'm a big fan of MSG but it's not subtle, even if used in small doses. When you know what it taste like, and can pick it up in the dish, it can overpower the other flavors leave a cloying taste in the mouth. 

This Shio Koji umami is sweeter and less distinct that MSG. It made the chicken taste more chickeny because of the enzymatic catabolism of proteins and sugars in the meat. I'm also surprised at how fast it penetrated the meat. I only marinated it for an hour or so and yes the breast were butterflied, but not pounded and that sweet juicy meaty koji flavor penetrated all the way, least what I could discern by tasting.

I'm going to do a Beef/broccoli stirfry with Yakisoba noodles tonight. I expect to get really nice crust on the beef after the twice fry.


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## aboynamedsuita (Jan 27, 2017)

Looking forward to hearing about the results D! Spoiledbroth is the only local KKF member I know of who's also in my region so want to try this.


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## Miles (Jan 28, 2017)

I've been playing with it for a couple months as well. Used it wet and have also used it dry, to approximate aging beef. Very pleased with the results so far. Planning some additional experiments in the near future.


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## Matt Zilliox (Jan 17, 2021)

Anyone experimenting with Koji? Adding it to my game this year


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## aboynamedsuita (Jan 17, 2021)

I've been using the koji rice over the past couple of years. If I can ever get a controlled setup I wouldn’t mind making it myself so it costs less. 

I really like it with pork. If you read the comments about the chicken above, I’d say it’s similar with pork. After the koji rice is removed, I only use salt to season and there’s no shortage of flavour 




Matt Zilliox said:


> Anyone experimenting with Koji? Adding it to my game this year


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## Currantly (Jan 19, 2021)

If anyone is on the east coast around the Philadelphia/New York area I could send some out to you. I make 2KG batches every week at my restaurant, the Cold Mountain stuff is great but it’s just not the same as fresh homemade koji still in cakes. 

Cheers.


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## banzai_burrito (Jan 19, 2021)

Currantly said:


> If anyone is on the east coast around the Philadelphia/New York area I could send some out to you. I make 5KG batches every week at my restaurant, the Cold Mountain stuff is great but it’s just not the same as fresh homemade koji still in cakes.
> 
> Cheers.



What's your process for making it if you don't mind sharing? I'm interested in seeing if I'm able to make some at home

Thanks!


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## Currantly (Jan 19, 2021)

banzai_burrito said:


> What's your process for making it if you don't mind sharing? I'm interested in seeing if I'm able to make some at home
> 
> Thanks!


Oh man that is a loaded question! Let me do a little write up, that’s condensed enough for a post. It’s quite the rabbit hole though just be prepared to get way to into it.


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## banzai_burrito (Jan 19, 2021)

I'm looking forward to it! Thanks!


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## Currantly (Jan 20, 2021)

My process for Barley Koji:

Day before:

•wash and soak 1200g pearled barley overnight with filtered water.

Day 1:

•let barley drain for a half an hour in a china cap.

•while it’s draining set up a 8” two tier bamboo steamer basket on a pot filled 1/3 of the way with water. Let the water come up to an aggressive simmer. 

•line bamboo steamer with dampened cheesecloth.

•place the barley in the lined baskets splitting evenly between the two.

•let this steam on the pot uncovered for 5 minutes.

•after 5 minutes cover the baskets with the lid and steam for an additional 45 minutes, be sure to switch the top and bottom basket halfway through cooking.

•once finished remove the barley and allow to cool, breaking apart any chunks in the process. I like to do this on a parchment lined sheet tray.

•after it has cooled move the barley to your preferred “tray” to grow on that will fit your fermentation chamber. (I use a kojiban made by Quercus Cooperage, which is why I can make an amount such as this)

•the next step is inoculation. For 1200g barley I use 40g spore/rice flour mix. The spore/rice flour mix is comprised of 40g koji spore (I can give recommendations) and 400g rice flour. 

•mix 40g spore/flour mix into the barley on the “tray”, the barley needs to be below 104F before adding the inoculation mix.

•cover the “tray” with a damp cloth and place into your fermentation chamber. (I can also provide picture of how mine is set up)

•the 48 hour window has now begun.

Day 2-3:

•at 24 hours mix koji. This all depends on the temperature of where yours is at. Generally if mine is sitting around 94F I’m going to mix it so it won’t die around the 36 hour mark where it really starts getting hot.

•36-42 hours continually check in the koji, at 104F the koji will start to spore early (turn green, if it’s an albino strain)

•also mix whenever the koji is sitting around 101F you won’t get nice cakes if you mix in the later half of the grow, but it’s better to save the koji than to let it go to waste all because of the want for nice cakes.

•the koji is pretty much done around hour 42 but you can let it ride the full 48 if the temperature is under control.

•congratulations you made koji 

Hope this helps! Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.


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## knifelife (Jan 20, 2021)

Wow.

And I thought joining this place was only going to cost me money in knives & stones


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## rickbern (Aug 12, 2021)

Wonder if I can solicit a little advice…

I followed this serious eats recipe, 300g cold mountain, 400g water, 75g salt

Set it up this morning, the rice absorbed all the water. It’s damp, not soupy. Like firm oatmeal. Is that correct or should I add some more water?

@Ochazuke thought I’d pester you yet again. Thanks all!


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## Ochazuke (Aug 12, 2021)

rickbern said:


> Wonder if I can solicit a little advice…
> 
> I followed this serious eats recipe, 300g cold mountain, 400g water, 75g salt
> 
> ...


Just break up some of the clumps and add water. The end result (after fermentation) should resemble watery, overcooked oatmeal. 

Rather than think of it in terms of recipe, think about ideal environments for mold growth: it needs to be a very moist environment. Make sure to let it breathe too!


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