Koji In Every Kitchen with Meredith Leigh

Koji is a beneficial mold, traditionally used in producing miso, sake, and shoyu (soy sauce), however its uses are far broader, including pickling, curing meat, and maybe even composting. In this session, learn about the positive power of koji because of its production of enzymes which metabolize starches and proteins. Learn how to grow your own culture and to utilize it in natural fermentation processes. Koji is also a remarkable flavor enhancer. Some uses for koji in your home kitchen include: tenderizing meats, pickling vegetables, making bacon and other cured meats, as well as miso, soy sauce, sake, sauces, dressings, sugar substitutes and more. You can also utilize it to reduce salt in your cooking. Meredith Leigh will explore the science, history, and practical application of koji culture in the home kitchen, and demonstrate a range of uses for this amazing mold.

[@micahhornback6845]

I just finished reading Noma's Guide to Fermentation, built a fermentation chamber with a speed rack, plastic covering, humidifier, humidistat, space heater, and temperature controller. I'll be making my first "Peaso" this weekend; however, this masterclass has opened my eyes to the extreme diversity of koji's culinary application. Koji's popularity in America is on the rise, and this lesson is at the forefront.

[@DEXTER-TV-series]

So, what is your experience with koji now, three years later?

[@danieldanielson2650]

Any news?

[@christinaelliott5582]

Would you please list all sources including books with titles and authors in the information below your video?

[@teachingmachinesjapanese2084]

Just a heads up, the kōji (こうじ/麹) is the malted result obtained from growing a mold culture (Aspergillus oryzae) on rice. Chinese people use 米麴 to refer to the same thing. If you talk about "Aspergillus oryzae" you have to use kōji-kin (こうじきん/麹菌) which is made from the Chinese 麴菌 literally meaning "Aspergillus mold". In short koji = koji-kin + rice

[@wober777]

🤣🤣🤣"The reason they are no longer toxic is because they coevolved with humans in culinary. Because humans used these molds in coordination with yeasts to ferment foods"... Yeah, just like we use arsenic, strychnine and Ricin to make lots of yummy foods today. But don't worry we'll evolve together and it won't kill us anymore!🤦‍♂️

[@kennethprice4109]

It doesn't take long to spot someone with a higher education. I'm in my seventies but this put me back in school. What a brilliant and knowledgeable mind. Epicurious himself would be impressed.

[@Mess-Lab-Kitchen-Show]

I was thinking the exact same thing! I felt like I was back in University!~

[@Mess-Lab-Kitchen-Show]

You can tell she really knows her stuff!~

[@jameswatters9592]

Maybe but she talks like a child "super duper amazing" after that I was done

[@villadante]

Thank you, very informative! Happy to see information about koji becoming more and more available!

[@Fujisawa4115]

Yes, I make koji at home, make amazake, then my doburoku (fermented amazake to alcholic drink).

[@tawpgk]

What about using a sous vide circulator to keep the temps steady at 138 or 80?

[@Bryceramus]

Wow! Thank you, this video is riveting

[@christinaelliott5582]

Are the handouts for this session and other cooking sessions available online or per request by mail?

[@livingwebfarms]

Find them on our website here: livingwebfarms.org/archived-workshop-handouts/

[@stanleygreen5710]

Thank you for the time you put into doing these seminars.

[@dustinandrews89019]

Really great video! I just got into using Koji for Sake and was looking for more information about it. This is a gold mine. I also loved your incubator, as I was trying to figure out a cost effective way to make one. Have you experimented with other starch sources? I am particularly interested in potatoes since I have a surplus right now.

[@la912]

Hi, do you tryed it on potatoes? What was your results?

[@nilsjeuser9323]

@@la912 Hi, I see that your message was updated 9 months ago and it seems recent enough to answer. I've seen Brad Leone over on the Bon appétit youtube channel doing a video on miso fermented fries. It's not what you asked but I thought I'd share. His results were apparently amazing.

[@caitlinroeder5679]

Thank you Living Web Farms for all your awesome work!

[@LachlanMoss]

Hi, thanks for these resources. I have purchased two of your books. Can you please name or link the paper talking about A. Orzae out-competing other surface molds? Do you keep a list of interesting papers somewhere?

[@thermalflyer3601]

Oh my goodness you are a great teacher! Thank you so much for sharing this. I am now buzzing with ideas that I can use to make some interesting foods. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

[@itaigoldman156]

Anyone know what's the "peer reviewed paper" she mentioned around 3:30 regarding wild fermentation and aspargillus....???

[@ernieduncan602]

I was searching the responses for the same thing

[@MrAossola]

34:54 Alcohol in it.... its a fermentation.. even if you do it yourself will have it in. You don’t want it..... heat it above 85 C/ 185 F and it will be evaporated. Cheers 🥂

[@stevepenney2073]

This turned out to be a lot more awesome than i thought it would.Ive grown koji before but this blew me away....so much i didnt know....Great vid

[@Karl_B]

Very informative and interesting to learn.

[@lkhfun6575]

Very cool. Thank you! Meredith's book is on Amazon: Pure Charcuterie: The Craft and Poetry of Curing Meats at Home (Urban Homesteader Hacks) by Meredith Leigh

[@L1mechanicstc]

Meredith is one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to try this

[@bhishmamahatara2637]

May that koji fungus.

[@steveleeds1599]

Hi meredith, Do you ever come to Az.. I'm self taught but would love to see you in person..where are you if I consider coming to your classes

[@MarcellaSmithVegan]

I didn't understand, how can I make the Koji without salt, I am on a low salt diet no matter how you say it reduces how much you add, for those who are on low salt diets there is no such thing as 'adding salt', if I drizzle koji that has a teaspoon of salt in it I am in trouble. How do you make the koji without salt

[@wilsonallen7831]

Now son, Meredith Leigh is what a WOMAN is. Look for class and and confidence.

[@HegenerHomestead]

My husband is allergic to penecillin(sp?) and he's very cautious whenever mold is present. Do you think this would still be safe for him?

[@veronicaquiles5090]

Love it, your are so hard core! You make me very confident about making koji and everything else cause a lot of other video are make you feel so scary and i know about bad mold but... , this is come from a very good teacher!!! Gracias!

[@dennisdawson9896]

I found this to be very informative. Thank you for producing this video!

[@anders.svensson]

This was really interesting! Thank you, Meredith!

[@alejandrortl]

I love this video. I watched every while cause every time I try thing other bump to my mind and I found really good info here. I'm wondering what's the difference between cure meat with koji kin vs koji rice? I also try to follow Jeremy umansky work I found it so interesting, but I haven't found a book or something. If you know a way to get some info, I'll really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!!! Keep your great work

[@kynchan3332]

Msg lowers requirement of salt to achieve the same salt perception. MSG is a type of amino acid or broken down protein. There is every reason other broken down proteins will have the ability to enhance flavour without much salt.

[@bonnieanderson5865]

I am allergic to Penicillin. Can I still grow this and be ok?

[@quantafitness6088]

Would you ever first apply the shio koji/amazake and THEN do a lactoferment? If yes, then how? I was thinking it would be interesting to marinate för example kimchi before it goes to it's lactoferment.

[@Sahentry]

kimchi usually has a rice flour slurry, I bet you could add it in the slurry and go from there.

[@yshemesh]

Is it possible to ferment using miso? How will the effects be different?

[@SparklerBlack]

so i cant use a koji rice like a normal rice with the dish? it wont be tasty?

[@bhishmamahatara2637]

I want know how to make that plastic bag dust or pounder.

[@thanielxj11]

Oh my gosh there is so much information in this!

[@Askalaf777]

Кто нибудь переведите хотя бы субтитрами

[@raquelvidal1561]

Hola gracias por la traducion .no se inglés!!

[@grovermartin6874]

What a world of information she opens up!

[@DreadPiratePapa]

Great talk, thank you for putting this out.

[@jenniferhale5409]

I am using a tempeh that has been dehydrated and powdered in the blender to try to inoculate rice to start my own koji rice. Am I dreaming? I have it in the dehydrator lowest setting with a bowl of water on the rack under it. I have my chick pea miso inoculated mashed chick peas waiting in the fridge for my koji rice.. In a year I guess I will know.

[@danieldanielson2650]

So, how did it work out?

[@Sionlockett]

Wow what an informative video thanks

[@tiiiip]

Could I get the handout too in online form?

[@stickyrice6102]

Once you have Shio Koji in the fridge, can you add cooked rice and a bit of water to get more shio koji? Thanks

[@Soras_]

you have to let the rice cold down and mix with it,and Put it at room temperature for a week

[@newvocabulary]

Muh partner. Giddy up.

[@riccardocacchioli9952]

Please post also on rumble

[@mattydunc1]

Hey Mer, This is a fantastic video. Thank you so much. I will definitely be sourcing your book and trying some of the curing recipes and methods. Just wondering if you have a pdf of something for the Amazaki's and other recipes that you gave out at this workshop?

[@livingwebfarms]

This is our website page with all the archived workshop handouts including this one. livingwebfarms.org/archived-workshop-handouts/

[@jamestriplett790]

@@livingwebfarms pdf does not open

[@slightlya4tistic]

i love this

[@AdrianHiggins83]

Sweet

[@SpencerKarren1982]

This is awesome 👏💪🙌. Thanks living web farms!

[@rajaaalburaie5445]

leigh search for formagge which turned to be frommage I don't know but it's an old language which we lost it's criteria through it's transcription though I'm sure it is the real science of mold or koji the good mold which is a friend to haemoglobin in human blood .So it can be a mold in formmage ( using grain branes )or a mold in cream of tartar that is growing mold in other words using soft phylum as water chestnut ,asparagus,celery,etc how can you feed them both ?you can use the sweet liquor comes from a dehydration process as pumpkins but be careful don't fridge them it will turn into fungi of course you can use any sap except the sugar cane .oh I forgot to tell you that when you feed them too much sweetie tweet it will form yeast that is formed to most successful bakeries .It is science that's why they call it magic cause however and wherever you perform it you will get different result .For instance once barefoot contessa asked her viewers to put brioche dough into fridge then I make it as she said then I noticed that she is living in a different zone than mine and outer of the fridge is so warm it can kill the yeast so she put it in the fridge.Leigh you are so lucky everything around you acknowledge the source of sciences ; my prayers remember rushes or red spots means allergy and allergy can cure failure organs and so on the chain of species has a chain of micro-organism,stay healthy and leave wealthy.

[@teresavanderspuy860]

Thank-you very much Meredith for sharing your knowledge with us. I have just received my pack of koji-kin (from Japan) and can't wait to start growing my own koji, I am from Cape Town, South Africa and I only discovered koji a few weeks ago, koji is not really known by us, so I was not able to find a fresh supply anywhere, so I can't wait to get my koji growing. Once again Thank-you for this wonderful presentation, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@mayj257]

thanks but what is it, what does it look like ?

[@lucasvegvary3571]

Thank you so much this was exactly what I needed to break down with Koji actually is and how to use it

[@gustacular]

I would like to get my hands on one of those handouts 🙂

[@carinecampier]

Thank you for sharing this information, however, I wish you would not use this perfectly vegan product to prepare meat ... #govegan #savetheplanet

[@garthwunsch]

Why would you want to deprive non-vegans from the benefits of this ferment?