About fermented foods using koji | Amazake specialty store Ren MURO Muro [official mail order]
Hello. This is Ren MURO , a store specializing in rice koji amazake.
In my last blog, I talked about the difference between raw koji and dried koji.
This time, I would like to take a slightly different approach and introduce some representative fermented foods that use koji.
In Japan, various fermented foods are eaten depending on the climate, climate and food culture of the region.
If you go to a local supermarket when you go on a trip to a rural area, you will find fermented foods that are unique to that area.
Meeting people is one of the real pleasures of traveling.
I'm sure you've heard the name before.
Kanzuri
A seasoning made from fermented chili peppers that has been handed down in Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture.
The salted peppers are exposed to the snow in winter. Then the snow will soften the harshness of the chili peppers. After being exposed to the snow for several days, it is mixed with rice malt, salt, yuzu, etc., and aged and fermented for about three years before it is finally completed.
Kanzuri is characterized by its addictive spiciness and deep richness. It is a fermented food that can be enjoyed in various arrangements regardless of Japanese, Western or Chinese.
Sagohachizuke pickles
Sangohachi-zuke means “Koji-zuke floor”. It is a traditional fermented food from Yamagata, Fukushima and Akita prefectures.
The origin of the name comes from the ratio of the ingredients used to make it.
Salt, rice koji and steamed rice are mixed in a ratio of 3 : 5 : 8 .
It is said that it was often made at home because it was completed by simply mixing three ingredients and pickling cucumbers and vegetables for several hours to a day. In addition to vegetables, you can also pickle meat and fish, so you can feel the wisdom of our predecessors who skillfully used leftovers without waste.
Narezushi
Narezushi is a fermented food made by mixing mainly fish, salt, and rice.
The history of sushi is so old that it is said to be the origin of sushi, and it is said that it was introduced to Japan from Southeast Asia around the Yayoi period.
When lactic acid fermentation is performed, the fish protein produces amino acids that are umami, and it matures.
Not only is it possible to store fish for a long period of time, it is also a valuable source of nutrition because microorganisms produce a large amount of vitamins during the fermentation process. Kaburazushi is a type of narezushi.
It is also famous as a specialty of Ishikawa Prefecture, and is made by pickling thinly sliced turnips with salt and rice malt for about 10 days. It is a gem that adds umami to the sweetness of koji and the salty taste of cold yellowtail.
If you look at it like this, you can see that fermented foods using koji have been popular all over the world.
It might be interesting to order and eat these local koji fermented foods.
Personally, I heard that narezushi has a unique peculiarity partly because it is lactic acid fermented, so I would like to try it at some point (laughs)
Until the end Thank you for reading.
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Noren MURO Kagurazaka
Address: 1-12-6 Kagurazaka , Shinjuku -ku, Tokyo 162-0825
Phone number: 03-5579-2910
Website URL : http://noren-japan.jp/store/murokagurazaka/
EC site URL : https://koujiamasake.jp/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/noren_muro/ .