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“Make Your Cooking Magical”
Oct 5th Podcast
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Koji fermentation transforms simple ingredients into umami-packed wonders. What appears as “moldy” blobs will cast delicious spells on the food in the kitchen. Try it! Adding the mystical ingredient of koji to your favorite recipes will simply “bewitch those dinner dishes with an October twist. Tune in to hear Jeremy Umansky’s expertise as he evokes some spooky, enchanting vibes about those “mushroom looking” spores that result in gourmet dishes that can be prepared in your own kitchen.
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Koji Experience
The first book devoted to processes, concepts, and recipes for fermenting and culturing foods with koji, the microbe behind the delicious, umami flavors of Japanese cuisine
Koji Alchemy includes:
- Cutting-edge techniques on koji growing and curing
- Information on equipment and setting up your kitchen
- More than 35 recipes for sauces, pastes, ferments, and alcohol, including standouts like Popcorn Koji, Roasted Entire Squash Miso, Korean Makgeolli, Amazake Rye Bread, and more.
Koji Alchemy chefs, Jeremy Umansky (left) and Rich Shih (right)—collectively considered to be the most practical, experienced, generous educators on the culinary power of this unique ingredient—deliver a comprehensive look at modern koji use around the world. Using it to rapidly age charcuterie, cheese, and other ferments, they take the magic of koji to the next level, revolutionizing the creation of fermented foods and flavor profiles for both professional and home cooks.
The book can be obtained through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine bookstores across the country.
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Basic Easy Koji Recipes
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Koji with White Rice
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Koji with white rice as presented to us at a class on Koji fermentation as conducted by Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih at Charlie Trotter’s on Sept 27th.
Rich Shih conducting a demonstration on making Koji Rice on Sept 27th Koji Class.
Koji rub marinade can be made in two ways: 1) starting with Koji Rice and adding the essential ingredients or 2) purchasing the Koji rub marinade on Amazon or other Asian food suppliers already prepared.
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Common Available Ingredients Containing Koji
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The above pictured products (e.g. Sake, Mirin, Soy Sauce, and Miso) contain Koji spores as an ingredient during their fermentation process. You probably have used them while cooking and didn’t know it. When eating sushi or other Asian foods in Oriental restaurants, many probably used Koji in their preparations as an ingredient to enhance flavors.
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Magic Golden “Peach” Soda
Koji Chanterelle Syrup with Golden Milk & Gooseberry by Ryan Castelaz of the Agency as served at the Charlie Trotter’s Koji dinner on Sept 28th dinner.
We made our own Chantrelle Syrup and drink using the above ingredients.
About the Recipe: It’s a one-of-a-kind soda that’s fruity, earthy, brightened up by a healthy dose of apple cider vinegar, and more interesting than peach alone. “Believe it or not, when we have this soda on the menu, we can’t keep it in stock,” Umansky says. “We can easily go through a gallon of syrup in a week. People can’t believe it’s just mushrooms, sugar, and vinegar.”
Some customers at Larder, Jeremy Umansky’s experimental Jewish deli in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, think the chef is lying about the chanterelle mushroom soda. “It tastes exactly like peach,” Umansky says. “People will argue with me—like, Come on, I know you put peaches in there, too.”
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Magic Golden “Peach” Soda
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Koji Rub on Steak
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Koji Rice Marinade rub on Sirloin Steak as we were preparing it at home.
Koji “Aged” Beef Short Rib with Smoked Mushrooms & Potato Pavė by Chef Andrew Zimmerman as served at Charlie Trotter’s Koji dinner 0n Sept 28th.
About the Recipe: This is a recipe that Chef Jeremy uses in his restaurant Larder. It works best with dark red meat, like steak. The first step in the process is to season the meat with salt and sugar to taste and flavor and ward off pathogens as well as bring moisture to the surface of the meat. Culturing the meat has been the most delicious method to use with steak.
pdf for Copy of Recipe -Koji Rub on Steak
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Koji-Marinated Vegetables
Broccoli florets & Sweet Potato Fries
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About the Recipes: Koji can be prepared using a range of cooking methods, including stir–frying and roasting. Its adaptability means you can experiment with various vegetable combinations and seasonings. Koji does not overpower the natural taste of the vegetables. This allows the true flavors of the veggies to shine through,
pdf for Copy of Recipe -Koji-Marinated Vegetables
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Lotus Root Stir-Fry (Japanese Kinpira Renkon)
A Japanese side dish that pairs perfectly with our rice and salmon.
Pictured Below Above Salmon
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About the Recipe: Kinpira is a beloved Japanese side dish, created by stir-frying and simmering root vegetables in a delectable sweet and savory sauce. It is a crunchy, sweet-savory lotus root side dish that is quick to prepare and pairs with rice and our sake salmon.
The name stems from a Japanese cooking technique called “Kinpira,” which is a way of sautéing and simmering or braising. It uses both Koji’s sake and soy sauce.
To Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish, or store in the fridge for up to 3 days for bento lunches.
Serves: 4 as a side dish
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Lotus Root Stir-Fry (Japanese Kinpira Renkon)
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Caramelized Apple Dessert
Miso adds delightful fruity and floral notes to the caramelized apples.
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About the Recipe: It only took one apple and some of Shio Koji to create this mouth-watering caramelized dessert that could be sprinkled with autumn’s favorite apple pie spices or crunchy walnuts. Just imagine this with a scoop of soft melting vanilla ice cream. Delicious and so easy to make
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Caramelized Apple Dessert
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GG Recipes using Miso, Soy , Sake
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Pan Seared Japanese Sake Salmon
A simple, full-of-flavor salmon dish with some sake and soy for a Koji umami.
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About the Recipe: The tender, savory salmon and side dishes highlight sake’s umami enhancing qualities. This is a simple, flavorful salmon dish that is so elegant and attractive to serve as a Japanese-inspired meal. It is marinated and pan-seared with sake and tamari (a soy sauce substitute). You will be amazed at the Koji umami depth of the prepared Japanese inspired meal.
To Serve: Plate salmon, drizzle with reduced sauce, and garnish with green onion. Serve with a lemon wedge, cooked rice, and Lotus Root Stir-Fry on the side.
Serves: 2
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Pan Seared Japanese Sake Salmon
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Lotus Root Stir-Fry (Japanese Kinpira Renkon)
A Japanese side dish that pairs perfectly with our rice and salmon
Pictured below above Salmon filets.
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About the Recipe: Kinpira is a beloved Japanese side dish, created by stir-frying and simmering root vegetables in a delectable sweet and savory sauce. It is a crunchy, sweet-savory lotus root side dish that is quick to prepare and pairs with rice and our sake salmon.
The name stems from a Japanese cooking technique called “Kinpira,” which is a way of sautéing and simmering or braising. It uses both Koji’s sake and soy sauce.
To Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish, or store in the fridge for up to 3 days for bento lunches.
Serves: 4 as a side dish
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Lotus Root Side Dish
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Chocolate Chip Oat Koji Cookies
A delicious way to enjoy a breakfast or quick snack.
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About the Recipe: These umami oat cookies are delicious and full of nutritional benefits compared to sugary breakfast cereals. Miso, a fermented product, helps your gut stay healthy and improve digestion. Adding some healthy fats like walnuts or chocolate chips makes these cookies tasty as well as nutritious. It’s a great grab-‘n’-go idea for those busy mornings.
Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih about to enjoy the Chocolate Chip Oat Koji Cookies.
- Yield: about 16 large cookies
pdf for Copy of Recipe – Chocolate Chip Oat Koji Cookies
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