It’s been several years since Shio Koji (塩麹, 塩糀) experienced a huge resurgence in popularity as a versatile seasoning in Japan. This page is about shio koji, its benefit in cooking, and how to make it at home.
What Is Shio Koji?
Shio koji (塩麹, 塩糀) is a natural seasoning used to marinate, tenderize, and enhance the umami, or richness (one of the five basic tastes), in foods. It’s made of just a few simple ingredients, salt, water and rice koji.
Rice koji (米こうじ, 米糀, 米麹) is steamed rice that has been treated with koji mold spores (Aspergillus oryzae, koji-kin 麹菌, or koji starter). Koji is a specific strain of mold that has been cultured over the centuries.
You may feel hesitant to eat it and wonder why we make rice moldy on purpose. But you know what, you have most likely eaten it already!
Koji has been the key ingredient to make miso, soy sauce, sake, mirin, rice vinegar, amazake, shochu, and shio koji. It’s a live food that is rich in enzymes that break down the starches and proteins in food into sugars and amino acids.
Use shio koji to marinade meats, make pickles, or just use as a salt substitute. For each teaspoon of salt called for in a recipe, use 2 teaspoons of shio-koji. Shio-koji is really versatile and can be used in any kind of cooking (See Shio Koji recipes)!
Benefits of Shio Koji
There are some benefits of using shio koji in cooking (source).
- A natural pro-biotic seasoning
- Tenderizes food
- Brings out the umami and sweetness in foods
- Reduces the intake of salt
- Aids in digestion
- Clear the skin
- Anti-aging
- Contains minerals, fiber and vitamins
