Hello, everyone! Today, I will talk about ‘Koji (Kouji)’, a traditional Japanese ingredient. Koji is a unique fermented food ingredient deeply rooted in our diet. It is used in the production of indispensable foods such as sake, mirin, soy sauce, and miso in our daily meals. It is also considered good for health. In our restaurant, salt koji, soy sauce koji, sweet sake, cooking sake, soy sauce, and miso are indispensable ingredients. This time, I will introduce how to use koji and its health effects.

What is Koji?

Koji is produced when Aspergillus oryzae and other Aspergillus fungi grow on grains such as rice, soybeans, and wheat, and generate enzymes in the process. These enzymes break down the starch and protein of the grains into sugars and amino acids. This conversion process is very important when making fermented foods and beverages.

How to Use Koji

Making Miso: Koji is a main ingredient for making miso. You can make homemade miso by fermenting a mixture of soybeans, salt, and koji.

Making Sake: Koji is also necessary for making sake (nihonshu, sake). Koji converts the starch in rice into sugar, and this sugar is then converted into alcohol by yeast.

Making Amazake: You can make sweet sake by fermenting a mixture of koji, water, and sugar.

Making Salt Koji: Salt koji is made by fermenting a mixture of koji, salt, and water. It can be used as a marinade for vegetables, meat, and fish, or as a dressing or seasoning.

Pickling: You can pickle vegetables using koji. The enzymes in koji bring out the umami in vegetables and make them tender.

Koji Stew: You can make stews and simmered dishes using koji. It brings out the umami in the ingredients and makes them tender.

Koji Dressing: You can make dressing using koji as a base, and adding olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Bread Making: You can make bread using koji. The enzymes in koji help the dough ferment and make the bread fluffy.

Note: When cooking with koji, you need to be careful about the activity of the koji enzymes. Koji enzymes are sensitive to high temperatures, so be careful not to deactivate the enzymes during cooking.

Health Benefits of Koji

So, why is koji good for your body?

Digestive Health: The enzymes produced by koji mold help break down starch and proteins in food into simple sugars and amino acids. This is especially important for people who struggle with digestive issues or have difficulty absorbing nutrients.

Nutrient Absorption: Koji helps break down food into its constituent parts, increasing the availability of nutrients and making it easier for the body to absorb them.

Probiotic Effects: Although koji itself is not a probiotic, the fermentation process generates beneficial bacteria and compounds that help improve gut flora.

Vitamins and Minerals: The fermentation process increases the levels of certain vitamins and minerals, making the food more nutritious.

Enhancement of Taste and Flavor: The fermentation by koji enhances the umami of the food, making it tastier and more satisfying.

Conclusion

Koji is a traditional fermented food ingredient deeply rooted in Japanese food culture. It is not only indispensable for the production of sake, mirin, soy sauce, and miso, but also helps digestion and improves nutritional value, which is good for health. Dishes made with koji are flavorful and nutritious, so please try to incorporate them into your daily meals. Also, it is difficult to bring out the umami in vegan dishes, but using koji will add depth to the flavor. Please try it at home. So, have a healthy and delicious food life!