We want to incorporate healthy foods into our daily lives as much as possible. How wonderful it would be if we could celebrate special occasions with delicious, healthy foods.
In "Chami's Kitchen," Chami, who holds cooking classes on fermentation and dim sum at her home, will teach us various seasonal recipes with the theme of "fermentation x celebration." This time, we will introduce various recipes using "soy sauce koji," which can be used widely in any dish!
Put the raw koji into a jar that has been sterilized by boiling and dried (just pour boiling water over the jar).
Add soy sauce from the top and mix from the bottom. Then you're ready to go! It's that simple.
It will be ready in about 1 week to 10 days at room temperature.
Stir once a day so that the bottom and top are mixed together. The time it takes to finish varies depending on the season. (If you are making it in a yogurt maker, stir at 55 degrees for 8 hours.) If you stir every day, it will gradually thicken.
Stir once a day so that the bottom and top are mixed together. The time it takes to finish varies depending on the season. (If you are making it in a yogurt maker, stir at 55 degrees for 8 hours.) If you stir every day, it will gradually thicken.
If you lick the spoon you used to stir, you will notice a change in the taste, so try tasting it every day. If the surface of the koji begins to form, it can cause mold to grow, so add more soy sauce.
When you take a lick of the finished soy sauce koji, you will be surprised by how delicious it is! The mellow sweetness and aroma of soy sauce fills your mouth. Soy sauce koji packed with umami. What kind of dishes will this soy sauce koji be used in?
Salads are not the main dish, but they add color to the table. They are also indispensable for celebratory tables. It feels special if you can use a homemade dressing that is healthy for your body. To make soy sauce koji dressing, simply mix all the ingredients in the correct order.
This time, we used rice oil. Sesame oil will give it a Chinese flavor, and olive oil will give it a Western flavor. Adjust the amount of each ingredient to get the flavor you like.
◆ Click here for the Amazake recipe ◆
Amazake made with rice
The dressing recipe can also be completed by simply mixing all the ingredients! The onion dressing instantly becomes Western-style just by adding onions, and has a different feel from a dressing made only with soy sauce and koji. You can use any oil, but if you use olive oil, it will have an even more Western taste.
You can also sprinkle some black pepper on top and mix.
The chive dressing has a Chinese feel. If you use sesame oil instead, it will have a stronger punch and is perfect for when you want to cheer up. You can also mix in a little garlic, or sesame seeds for a fun texture. You can also put all the dressing ingredients in a blender to make a thick dressing.
On the day of the shoot, the film crew took some of the chive dressing they were given home and mixed it with pork shabu-shabu. It was rich and flavorful, and the Chinese-style flavor matched perfectly, so the pork shabu-shabu was gone in an instant!
Japanese, Western, Chinese, what are you in the mood for today?
For the salad, you can choose your favorite vegetables. By making your own dressing, you can change the flavor to suit your mood or ingredients.
Garnish with orange, pineapple, and cherry tomatoes for a colorful and vibrant salad that's perfect for a celebratory table. It's also great for entertaining guests.
Pair a refreshing daikon salad with Japanese food or a strong-flavored main dish. Mix soy sauce koji dressing with bonito flakes to create a Japanese-style dressing.
◆ About soy sauce koji ◆
Soy sauce koji can be used in place of soy sauce, and the koji enhances the umami flavor and gives it a rich taste. The umami components of soybeans are strong, said to be 10 times stronger than that of salt koji. Because it is rich in umami components, you can use less seasoning, which also has the effect of reducing salt. Marinating meat in soy sauce koji not only adds flavor, but also makes the meat tender. In addition, the dietary fiber contained in the koji in soy sauce koji serves as food for the good bacteria in the intestines (such as lactic acid bacteria), helping to regulate the intestinal environment.
Soy sauce koji is full of good things. Once you have made soy sauce koji, it is delicious to mix it with chili bean paste or pickle shiso leaves. When using a recipe that does not call for koji, try using 1.3 to 1.5 times the amount of soy sauce koji instead of soy sauce, tasting as you go.
The possibilities for variation are endless! Try finding a soy sauce koji recipe that suits your mood, your condition, and your personal tastes that day.
◆ A word from Chami ◆
The good thing about home-cooked meals is that they don't have the same taste and you never get tired of them. You can follow the recipe, or you can taste it and adjust it to create your own home-cooked taste!
I think this dressing will also encourage more conversation at the dinner table, such as "The onion was delicious," or "You can eat a lot of vegetables now." I hope it will help you enjoy the meal in front of you, instead of watching TV or using your phone.
★
The shoot is always in a friendly atmosphere, with Chami teaching us about ingredients and koji, and chatting about trivial things. By the end of the shoot, my heart was filled with warmth thanks to the gentle atmosphere that Chami exudes and the healthy food.
Both the soy sauce koji and the dressing are easy recipes, so please give them a try. Next time, we will introduce recipes for ginger pork and seasoned eggs made with soy sauce koji! Please look forward to it.
◆ Items used in this shoot ◆
[Tounomori] Curry bowl (large) Hagi ware
[Tounomori] Leaf Bowl, Unohana, Hagi Ware
◆ PROFILE ◆
Chami
I run fermentation and dim sum cooking classes at my home in Okayama Prefecture.
Using fermented koji seasoning, it's easy to make delicious dishes.
We offer dishes that will help keep your intestines and mind in good health.
Instagram: @botibotiiko
Using fermented koji seasoning, it's easy to make delicious dishes.
We offer dishes that will help keep your intestines and mind in good health.
Instagram: @botibotiiko