standard miso making workshop

Your homemade miso is truly unique, developing its own character and depth of flavour as it slowly ferments and matures.

Traditional miso is made from just a few simple ingredients—soybeans, koji and salt—yet variations in their proportions, fermentation time and environment can create remarkably different flavours, aromas and colours.

In Akemi’s usual standard miso recipe, rice koji and soybeans are used in a 1:1 ratio. For this class, however, we will make a koji-rich miso using twice as much rice koji as soybeans (2:1). The higher proportion of rice koji creates a miso that is naturally sweeter, softer and more aromatic, while still developing plenty of savoury umami as it matures.

The rice koji used in the class is prepared and fermented in advance by Akemi Yokoyama, chef and specialist in authentic Japanese food culture and fermentation. Making koji itself takes approximately three days and is the essential first step in traditional miso making.

Throughout the session, you will delve into:

* Understanding koji (Aspergillus oryzae) and its role as the fermentation starter for miso.

* Exploring how the ratio of koji, soybeans and salt influences sweetness, umami, colour and fermentation.

* Learning how to prepare and combine the ingredients to make miso successfully at home.

* Understanding the fermentation and maturation process and how to look after your miso as it develops.

* Discovering different types of Japanese miso and their characteristics and culinary uses.

At the end of the class, you will take home your own jar of freshly prepared miso, approx. 1kg, ready to ferment and mature at home. Over the coming months, you can watch it gradually transform into a deeply savoury yet naturally sweet miso with a flavour entirely of your own.