[Ads-l] shio koji - 2011

[Barretts Mail]

I don’t see shio koji on Dictionary.com <http://dictionary.com/>, the OED, most language Wikipedias, or even the Urban Dictionary. It’s the best treatment for meat I've ever found and is growing in popularity; producing umami, it can be found in the description of many restaurant menus and in many recipes. I’ve enjoyed it for years, and it was the star ingredient of our turkey this year. 

In general, I didn’t search for just “koji” though I glanced at Wiktionary, which has it (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/koji) and Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koji), which links to the article on _Aspergillus oryzae_ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus_oryzae) where alcohol, soy sauce and miso are mentioned, but meat is not. 

The Italian Wiki (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shio_koji) and the Japanese Wiki (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A1%A9%E9%BA%B9) both have entries. The Italian entry is unsourced; the Japanese article citations go back to 2011. The English Wikipedia article on

The citations below are not in any strict order. Items 1 and 2 introduce it. Items 3 to 8 provide citations from around the US. Item 9 is the earliest citation I found on the internet, including in Google Books. 

In 2012, the number of hits increases, including one in the Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/food/la-xpm-2012-aug-25-la-fo-koji-20120825-story.html).

1. https://www.seriouseats.com/obsessed-koji-rich-shih
Updated 16 Feb 2023
Sho Spaeth

###
Even if you've never heard of koji, you've put it in your mouth in one form or another. "Koji" refers to any grain that has been inoculated with the mold Aspergillus oryzae, although it can, confusingly, also refer to the mold itself. 
###
###

2. https://www.justonecookbook.com/braised-herb-chicken-with-shio-koji/
Braised Herb Chicken with Shio Koji
25 Nov 2013 (published), 26 Nov 2023 (updated)
Nami

###
Shio Koji (塩麹, 塩糀) is a rice malt (koji) that has been fermented with sea salt (shio). It is a live food that is rich in enzymes and brings out the umami in foods. The texture looks like porridge and has a subtle taste of both sweet and salty. It is often used in place of salt to enhance all kinds of foods. It marinates and tenderizes the meat and can be used to season fish and vegetables…
###
###

Note that in Japanese it’s shio kõji (しおこうじ) with a long second “o”.

3. Seattle
https://www.lishfood.com/products/shio-koji-miso-chicken
Shio Koji Lemon Chicken
Lish

###
Shio Koji is a natural seasoning and tenderizer made of malted rice, salt and water. Fish or chicken, or Tofu is marinated in Shio Koji, and prepared to bring out the Umami without excessive calories. Served with grilled veggies, ponzu sauce and steamed rice.
###
###

4. Manhattan
https://www.opentable.ca/r/juku-izakaya-new-york
Juku Izakaya

###
Colorado Lamb Chop	US$25.00
shio koji
###

5. San Diego-based blog
https://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2014/04/fermentation-nation-shio-koji-chicken-wings-and-more.html
10 Apr 2014 posting
Kirk

###
I'd been reading about what an amazing flavor enhancer Shio Koji was for a couple of years. Apparently it really delivers that “sixth [sic] flavor”. 

…

I'd been reading about what an amazing flavor enhancer Shio Koji was for a couple of years. Apparently it really delivers that “sixth [sic] flavor". 
###
###

Recently, a sixth flavor (ammonium chloride) was discovered, but umami is the fifth.


6. Cleveland, Ohio
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2016/12/local_chef_jeremy_umansky.html
21 Dec 2016
Nikki Delamotte

Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. - Shio Koji: The Cosmic Cure & Amazing Amazake"

This lecture and demo will cover Shio koji (salted koji) and amazake (sweet rice koji). 
###
###

7. Nebraska
https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/huskers-get-hands-on-with-science-of-funky-fermentations/
Huskers get hands on with science of funky fermentations
20 Jan 2023
Kateri Hartman 

###
“At one point the students ate fish fillets and chicken cutlets that had been marinated overnight in a fungal fermentation called Shio Koji, which the students prepared a week in advance, incubated and watched that fermentation develop,” Hallen-Adams said.

Sioi Koji is a fermentation that’s been used for millennia to make soy sauce, miso and other traditional fermented Asian foods. It started to gain popularity around 2018, and since, people have begun to use it for other things like cooking meat and vegetables, and incorporating it into baked goods.
###
###

8. Charlottesville
https://charlottesville29.com/category/introductions/
07/22/2022
Introducing Kyoto 5th Taste: Charlottesville’s First Fermentation Restaurant is an Ode to Umami
The Charlottesville 29

###
That restaurant is right here in Charlottesville, as Chang’s invitation came from Gen Lee, co-founder of Peter Chang’s restaurants.

Lamb is fermented in shio koji for several days, which not only enhances its flavor but also begins to break it down, yielding tender meat that requires little additional cooking. 
###
###

9. 12 Jul 2011
http://www.naokomoore.com/2011/07/homemade-gochujang-with-shio-koji.html
Homemade Gochujang with shio-koji 
Naoko

###
So, now I make my own "healthy" Gochujang, which includes my homemade miso and shio-koji!
###
###

Benjamin Barrett (he/his/him)
Formerly of Seattle, WA 


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org