_Proven, Condiments, Fermentation, Japanese
100 g dried rice koji (米こうじ) — 1 bag
30 g salt
120–150 ml water
Crumble the koji apart, mix with the salt in a clean jar.
Add water until just covered. Stir.
Leave at room temperature, lid loose. Stir once a day.
Ready in 5–7 days, when it smells sweet/mellow and the grains have softened. Blend smooth if you want a fully smooth dressing.
Refrigerate.
One-time base. You can't use dried rice koji directly as a dressing — turn it into shio-koji first. It keeps for months in the fridge.
In summer it ferments faster (4–5 days); in a cold kitchen it can take 10.
Shio-koji is already salty — taste before adding salt to anything made with it.
Also an excellent marinade for tofu and mushrooms before grilling.
Used with:
Tomato Basil Salad with Koji Dressing
Roasted Vegetables with Warm Koji Dressing
From the "Koji Dressing" PDF on the Apple Note "Japan Menu 🎌".