Koji Crafting

For centuries, Japanese cuisine has been dependent on a specific mold to produce miso, shoyu (soy sauce), and sake. This mold has a very formal name; Aspergillus oryzae, but to us, it’s simply called koji. Western chefs have finally discovered what Eastern chefs have already known, koji makes everything it touches taste delicious.

In this hands-on class, we’ll make Shio (salt) Koji and a Spicy Shoyu (soy sauce) Koji, both super-simple marinades that are excellent on vegetables, meats, seafood or even tofu. Next we'll make Amazaké, a non-alcoholic sweet sake drink that’s thick and creamy begging to be flavored with ginger, pureed berries or even chocolate. We’ll also make a Koji Pickle, sending you home with a batch to ferment overnight at home.

Instructor: Yoko Maeda Lamn is a County of Los Angeles Certified Master Food Preserver and an instructor at the Institute of Domestic Technology. 

Koji Crafting is a collaboration between the Japanese American Cultural and Communtiy Center and the Institute of Domestic Technology.