Recently, the world of mycelium seems to be at the forefront of every conversation. Made popular by the Netflix documentary, Fantastic Fungi, more and more people are venturing into Mycology and uncovering all the fungal kingdom has to offer.

Although we are used to seeing fungi more commonly as mushrooms, there is an aspect of the fungal kingdom that is lesser-known but starting to make its way into the mainstream. Edible mold. Yup, you read that right.

Might sound strange, but trust me, mold is responsible for some of the most delicious flavors out there (and actually, a whole host of medicines. But that is a topic for another time).

Particularly, Koji. An edible fungus mold that is commonly used in Japanese cuisine to make delicious products such as Soy Sauce, Miso Paste, Sake, and Mirin. And, if you've spent the pandemic geeking out over kombucha, Kimchi, mushrooms, and gut health, then read on.

What is Koji?

Aspergillus Oryzae, more commonly known as Koji, is a probiotic bacteria becoming popular for its ability to impart a rich, umami flavor to foods. But you can't really see bacteria with the naked eye (unless you're superhuman, or got microscopes for eyes), so Koji is typically inoculated (fancy word for carefully grown on and made to colonize) on a starchy substrate. Typically white rice, or pearl barley. The colonization process makes the substrate look like its coated with a fine powder.

For instance, traditionally Soy sauce was made when Soy Beans are inoculated with Koji and left to ferment for over a year.

Traditional Vs Modern Soy Sauce: Modern industrial techniques deviate from the traditional way and artificially speed up the production process, but Yama Roku is one of the few producers who make Soy Sauce in the traditional way. Check out this video by Business Insider to learn more about traditional Soy Sauce making.

Similar to Soy sauce, Miso and Sake are products made from Koji, that have that Umami flavor. You've heard the word Umami, but as a quick definition, Umami refers to that deep, rich, pleasurable flavor that leaves you craving more. The taste that is imparted by grilled meat, the crispy edge of a fried egg, baked beans, or well-cooked mushrooms.

The Many Forms of Koji:

Okay, so there are three main forms of Koji dishes I've experimented so far. Of course, I'm sure there are many more variations, but once you get started with these, you're surely going to make your way down that rabbit hole.

Shio Koji:

Made by fermenting Koji inoculated rice with a combination of salt and water for at least a week. This is going to be a new staple in my kitchen.

Shio Koji or Salty Koji is a great tenderizer and marinade for meat. But honestly, it imparts such a delicious flavor to vegetables as well that you can't go wrong with having Shio Koji in your pantry. Once you start working with it, it's surely going to sneak into every dish you make.

Flavor Profile: Salty, with a hint of sweetness. Almost like bacon-wrapped dates (Or butter-fried mushrooms) where the saltiness is perfectly balanced with the sweetness. Mine has been fermenting for 3 weeks now, and every week the flavor is different.

Serving Tip: Marinate some endives, broccoli, swiss chard, or kale in the Shio Koji for 10 minutes before cooking (the enzymes act really fast, but feel free to play around with the timing here).

I also tried it with a dry-aged pork loin on the pan. Marinated the pork in the Koji overnight and the meat literally melted with a spoon.

Koji Tempeh:

I took a Tempeh-making class once. It was cool, but I really could not get myself to love the flavor. What I did take away from that class though was the ability of edible mold to transform beans into a solid block of deliciousness.

While Tempeh strictly refers to an Indonesian dish made with Rhizopus Oyyzae, (Koji’s cousin) I couldn't think of a better way to describe the dish I made.

I inoculated sprouted mung beans with koji for over a week. Smelled a little funky, but the taste was out of this world!!

The fungus converts the proteins and solid starch in the mung beans into a furry ball of easy-to-digest deliciousness. A great alternative to meat for the days you want a vegetarian protein.

Flavor Profile: A seriously good, liquid brined and Roasted Chicken. Put in vegetarian terms, it tastes like baked tofu that has been marinated in salt, spicy olive oil, and nutritional yeast. Reminiscent of my kitchen days in California, where we would have both of these on a weekly basis.

Serving Tip: Fry up the Koji Tempeh in some good quality olive oil, and slap on a layer of the Shio Koji.

Amazake:

Koji can be used for sweet dishes as well. And actually, Sake (Japanese rice wine) is made with Koji and sake yeast fermenting the starch in the rice till it becomes alcoholic and slightly sweet.

Following a similar process, for Amazake you would make wet, porridgy rice and throw in an equal amount of Koji. Let this sit at a warm temperature for 8–12 hours, and the next day, you have your very own Amazake.

Amazake lacks the yeast, which is responsible for the alcohol production, but the Koji breaks down the starch into a sweet, delicious goop. Besides being absolutely delicious, Amazake has a whole range of health benefits, for which the Japanese refer to Amazake as liquid ivy drip fluid.

Flavor Profile: Sweet with a rich finish. Kind of like Yakult (the little bottles of Japanese yogurt drink that you might have tried as a kid). Put in simpler terms, kind of like a vanilla ice cream made with soy and oat milk.

Serving Tip: Eat it straight from the jar. But if you want to be more civilized, throw it in a bowl with some cinnamon or instant coffee powder for a unique, healthy dessert made without sugar.

This is Only the Start:

So now that the Koji adventures have begun, there is going to be a lot more coming from me on Koji. the benefits, various recipes, experiments, and further developments.

For every bite of Koji I tried, the only thought in my mind was that “the world needs to catch on.” The fact that these tiny specs of mold can replicate and survive with the right amount of love and care is nothing short of a miracle. A true testament to nature’s intelligence, and proof that Alchemy is real.

I hope this inspires you to start experimenting with Koji. And if it does, feel free to drop a comment or connect on Instagram to follow more Koji and alchemical adventures at k.kapur.

Go on, get your hands on some spores and experience the magic of Koji for yourself.