Leben mit dem Koji-Pilz

During the ban on contact during the coronavirus pandemic, people had limited opportunities to go out. Suddenly there was a lot of time that could be used meaningfully at home. For example, to get interested in Koji. Koji is a fungus that ferments rice which plays an important role in Japanese cuisine, for example in the production of sake, soy sauce, mirin and other Japanese seasonings. Producing it is really simple - all you need is rice, koji fungus, water and time. The rice is steamed, mixed with the fungus and left to stand for 48 hours.

And what happens next? Any number of things, as koji is not an end product, but serves mainly to develop other foods. For example, you can marinate vegetables, fish and meat with a mixture of koji and salt water (called shiokoji). During this time the enzymes make the food tender and spicy. Or you can make amazake with koji, a non-alcoholic drink with a special kind of sweetness.

The enzymes contained in koji help the body to absorb the nutrients from the food and have a positive effect on one’s metabolism. Fermented foods are good for the body and can improve health even during isolation.