Easy Fermented Seasoning Recipes: Quick Flavor Boosters
Jun 18,2020
The spread of Covid has led to growing interest in fermented foods, which help develop a healthy immune system. For that reason, many people these days are doubtless enhancing their meals with fermented foods that can be eaten on their own: natto (fermented soybeans), yogurt, and whatnot. But it gets boring having them day in and day out. Preferably you should get into the habit of skillfully incorporating fermented foods into mains as well.
That’s why fermented seasonings are now having a moment among fermentation aficionados. Dressing, drizzling, or marinating foods in fermented seasonings is all you need to do to bring a dish’s flavor together. They’re a straightforward way to make any meal more delicious. Plus they’re a cinch to use, whether you’re stressed out from having to prepare meals during lockdown or simply wish to enjoy fermented foods more often.
Here culinary expert Kazama Akiko shares several timesaving recipes featuring fermented seasonings from Kanesa Organic Miso Company, which are made with carefully selected organic ingredients.
Fermented seasonings produced by an organic farm
Kanesa Organic Miso Company is a miso producer run by a farmer who has been growing crops organically for over twenty-five years in Toda District, Miyagi Prefecture. Over 90 percent of the farm’s rice and soybeans are produced organically. Since 2014, the company has had an online store that mainly sells Japanese fermented foods. These include koji (rice malt) and miso, as well as salt koji and the sweet fermented rice beverage amazake.
Kanesa Organic Miso Company insists on using organic ingredients for two reasons. It’s committed to bringing people the safest food possible. And it wants them to enjoy the innate flavor of the ingredients.
The three types of fermented seasonings made by Kanesa Organic Miso Company. From left: Miso Itame no Moto, Yuki Nama Shio Koji, and Uma Koji.
“The finished product turns out differently depending on the quality of the rice or soybeans that go into it. Using organic rice or soybeans results in a smooth taste without a trace of harshness,” says production manager Ouchi Shuntaro. Three fermented seasonings appear in the recipes featured here: Yuki Nama Shio Koji (organic fresh salt koji), Uma Koji (flavorful koji), and Miso Itame no Moto (miso stir-fry flavoring). Each has a wonderfully zesty flavor that brings out the taste of the ingredients while adding a nice twist.
Ouchi Shuntaro of Kanesa Organic Miso Company believes in making and delivering everything by hand.
Without further ado, let’s ask culinary expert Kazama Akiko to share her recipes featuring fermented seasonings.
Soymilk soup with asari clams and salt koji, made with Yuki Nama Shio Koji
At the mention of salt koji, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a marinade for meat or fish. But Kanesa Organic Miso Company’s Yuki Nama Shio Koji, or organic fresh salt koji, is much more than just a marinade. It can be used as is for instantly making Japanese or Western-style pickles. When added to soups and stir-fries, it brings the flavor together beautifully. And along with garlic and coarse-ground black pepper, it’s all you need to make the perfect Chinese-style fried rice.
Akiko’s top recommendation for a dish made with Yuki Nama Shio Koji is soymilk soup with asari clams and salt koji. It’s a recipe that pushes the boundaries of salt koji.
Sashimi yukhoe rice bowl, made with Uma Koji
Uma Koji, or flavorful koji, is made by fermenting organic rice koji and soy sauce for an extended period — the latter produced from whole Japanese-grown soybeans. The koji, lovingly made with organic rice, eliminates any harsh notes in the soy sauce, leaving only concentrated umami flavor. The mild sweetness of unrefined sugar strikes a perfect balance with the hot taste of green chili peppers, instantly defining the flavor of any dish. That makes Uma Koji ideal for days when you want to save time fixing up a meal.
This seasoning turns an ordinary snack into something elegant and refined. Mix it with mayonnaise, and you have a teriyaki-flavored dip for vegetable sticks. Or try it with chilled tofu.
Akiko uses Uma Koji to make a variation on Korean yukhoe or chopped raw meat: sashimi yukhoe rice bowl, a treat sure to delight adults and kids alike. It can be put together in an instant.
Steamed chicken salad, made with Miso Itame no Moto
Miso Itame no Moto, or miso stir-fry flavoring, is, like Uma Koji, a seasoning capable of defining a dish’s flavor all on its own. It’s made by adding well-aged miso during the process of making soy sauce koji (which involves fermenting organic rice koji and soy sauce produced from whole Japanese-grown soybeans). The result is a straightforward yet wonderfully rich flavor.
Stir-frying pork, cabbage, and green peppers with this seasoning transforms a humble batch of fried vegetables into a Japanese version of Chinese double-cooked pork. This dish even tastes delicious eaten cold, making it a great bento lunch box item. And if you have small children or are wary of additives, rest easy. The only ingredients in Miso Itame no Moto are rice koji, soy sauce, unrefined sugar, miso, table salt, and chili peppers. Another great idea is using it like miso for glazing skewers of grilled konjac and daikon.
Steamed chicken salad, another recipe concocted by Akiko, is set apart by its richly flavored dressing made with Miso Itame no Moto. The great taste stimulates the appetite, ensuring you get plenty of vegetables and chicken.
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- Ingredients for 2 servings
- 1 chicken thigh
- ⅓ naganegi (Japanese long onion, a type of green onion)
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp Miso Itame no Moto
- Your choice of vegetables
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- (a)
- Green part of 1 naganegi long onion
- 4–5 thin slices ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sake
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- ［Instructions］
- 1. Trim the excess fat from the chicken and cut into half. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- 2. Place the chicken and the ingredients in List (a) in a small pan or frying pan and add just enough water to cover them. Put the lid on and heat. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat and steam for 10 minutes, then let cool.
- 3. Mince the naganegi long onion and place in a heatproof container. Add the sesame oil and microwave for 30 seconds at 600 watts.
- 4. Add the vinegar, grated ginger, and Miso Itame no Moto, then mix together to make onion dressing.
- 5. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and dish up with the sliced vegetables, then pour on the dressing. Garnish with chili threads to taste and enjoy!
“Mixing naganegi long onions with sesame oil and cooking them together mellows the sharpness of the onions, resulting in a delicious-tasting onion sauce,” Akiko says. “Adding Miso Itame no Moto enriches the flavor. And voilà! you have an all-purpose dressing that goes wonderfully with meat and vegetables alike. You can replace the chicken with pork to make a cold shabushabu salad, which tastes equally good.”
Fermented seasonings are all it takes to transform your home cooking into something that tastes like it was made by a professional. And they’re gentle on the body too. Looking for an easy way to make fermented foods part of your meals? At a loss for what to serve this evening? Why not give these seasonings a try?
Kanesa Organic Miso Company
- URL:
- https://www.kanesaorganic.jp/
A miso producer that manufactures and sells products made primarily from organic rice and soybeans. It also has an online store that mainly sells Japanese fermented foods, including koji (rice malt) and miso, as well as salt koji and the sweet fermented rice beverage amazake.
