We always want to eat healthy food as much as possible. How wonderful would it be if we could celebrate special occasions with delicious and healthy food?
In "Chami-san's Kitchen", Chami-san, who teaches fermentation and dim sum cooking classes at home, will teach us various seasonal recipes under the theme of "Fermentation x Celebration". This time, we will introduce various arrangements of "Soy Sauce Koji," which can be widely used in any dish!
Put the raw koji into a sterilized and dried jar (simply pour boiling water over the jar).
Then, pour soy sauce over it and mix from the bottom. Preparation complete! How easy is that?
It will be ready in 1 to 1.5 weeks at room temperature.
Stir it once a day so that the bottom and top are mixed. The time it takes to finish varies depending on the season. (If using a yogurt maker, 8 hours at 55 degrees) As you stir it daily, it will gradually become thicker.
Stir it once a day so that the bottom and top are mixed. The time it takes to finish varies depending on the season. (If using a yogurt maker, 8 hours at 55 degrees) As you stir it daily, it will gradually become thicker.
You can taste the change in flavor by licking the spoon you used to stir it, so please taste it every day. If the surface of the koji appears, it can cause mold, so please add more soy sauce.
When you taste a little of the finished soy sauce koji, what an umami flavor! The mellow sweetness and aroma of soy sauce spread throughout your mouth. Soy sauce koji packed with umami. What kind of dishes will this soy sauce koji become?
Salad adds color to the dining table, even if it's not the main dish. It's also an essential part of a celebratory meal. It feels special to enjoy a healthy homemade dressing. To make soy sauce koji dressing, simply mix all the ingredients in order.
This time, we used rice oil. Sesame oil gives it a Chinese flavor, and olive oil gives it a Western flavor. Adjust the amounts of each ingredient to your liking.
The dressing arrangements are also complete just by mixing all the ingredients! The onion dressing becomes instantly Western by adding onions, giving it a different vibe than a simple soy sauce koji dressing. Any oil can be used, but olive oil will give it an even more Western flavor.
It's also good to sprinkle black pepper and mix it.
The chive dressing has a Chinese flair. If you use sesame oil, it will have an even stronger punch, perfect for when you need a boost of energy. Mixing in a little garlic is also a good idea. Mixing in sesame seeds adds a fun texture. You can also blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender for a smooth dressing.
The photography staff took home the chive dressing they received on the day of the shoot and mixed it with pork shabu-shabu. The richness and umami, along with the Chinese flavor, were a perfect match, and the pork shabu-shabu disappeared in an instant!
Japanese, Western, Chinese—what are you in the mood for today?
Salads can be made with your favorite vegetables. Because you make the dressing yourself, you can change the taste to suit your mood or ingredients.
Scattering oranges, pineapples, and mini tomatoes creates a colorful and vibrant salad perfect for a celebratory table. It would also be a delightful treat for entertaining.
For Japanese cuisine or richly flavored main dishes, pair with a refreshing daikon radish salad. Mixing bonito flakes into soy sauce koji dressing makes it a Japanese-style dressing.
◆ About Soy Sauce Koji ◆
Soy sauce koji can be used in place of soy sauce, and the koji enhances umami and richness. It is said to have 10 times the umami components of salt koji due to the strong umami components of soybeans. Because it is rich in umami components, you can reduce the amount of seasoning used, which also has a salt-reducing effect. Marinating meat in soy sauce koji not only seasons it but also tenderizes the meat. Furthermore, the dietary fiber contained in the koji in soy sauce koji becomes food for beneficial bacteria (such as lactic acid bacteria) in the intestines, helping to improve the intestinal environment.
Soy sauce koji is full of benefits. Once made, you can mix it with doubanjiang or pickle perilla leaves for a delicious flavor. When using recipes that don't 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 arrangement are endless! Please find a soy sauce koji recipe that suits your physical condition, mood, and personal preferences for that day.
◆ A word from Chami-san ◆
I believe the great thing about home-cooked meals is that they don't have a monotonous taste and you never get tired of them. You can follow a recipe, or you can taste and adjust it to create your own family's flavor!
And with this dressing, I think conversations at the dinner table will increase, with comments like "the onion one was delicious" or "we can eat so many vegetables." I hope to help people enjoy their meals without watching TV or their phones.
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The photoshoot always has a harmonious atmosphere, with discussions about ingredients and koji, and lighthearted conversations. By the end of the shoot, with Chami-san's gentle demeanor and healthy food, our hearts feel warmly satisfied.
Both soy sauce koji and the dressings are easy recipes, so please give them a try. Next time, we'll introduce recipes for ginger pork and marinated eggs made with soy sauce koji! Stay tuned.
◆ PROFILE ◆
Chami
I teach fermentation and dim sum cooking classes at home in Okayama Prefecture.
I share recipes that are easy, delicious, and help balance the gut and mind using fermented seasonings made with koji.
Instagram：＠botibotiiko
I share recipes that are easy, delicious, and help balance the gut and mind using fermented seasonings made with koji.
Instagram：＠botibotiiko
