In the kitchen

Recipes

Simple, everyday ways to use our seasonings and condiments — pick a product below to jump straight to a recipe built around it.

Roasted vegetables seasoned with shio koji
Uses: Shio Koji Paste

Shio Koji Roasted Vegetables

Shio koji works like a marinade and seasoning in one — it tenderizes as it flavors, so root vegetables come out deeply savory without needing much else.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Shio Koji Paste
  • 4 cups mixed root vegetables, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh herbs, to finish

Steps

  1. Toss vegetables with shio koji and oil.
  2. Rest 20 minutes at room temperature.
  3. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes.
  4. Finish with fresh herbs.
Homemade amazake fermented rice drink in a glass
Uses: Dried Rice Koji

Homemade Amazake

A naturally sweet, fermented rice drink — no added sugar needed. Great on its own warm, or blended into smoothies as a sweetener.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Dried Rice Koji
  • 2 cups cooked short-grain rice
  • 3 cups warm water (60°C / 140°F)

Steps

  1. Mix all ingredients in a rice cooker or thermos.
  2. Hold at 60°C (140°F) for 8 hours.
  3. Stir occasionally; taste for sweetness.
  4. Blend smooth if desired, then chill.
Bowl of noodles tossed with chili koji
Uses: Chili Koji

Chili Koji Noodles

A five-minute weeknight bowl — chili koji brings slow-built heat and umami in one spoonful, no separate sauce needed.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Chili Koji
  • 2 servings noodles, cooked
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Scallions, sliced

Steps

  1. Toss hot noodles with chili koji and sesame oil.
  2. Add a splash of noodle cooking water to loosen.
  3. Top with scallions and serve immediately.
Teriyaki chicken with shoyu koji, plated with rice and green beans
Uses: Amber Shoyu Koji Serves 4

Teriyaki Chicken with Shoyu Koji

Juicy, tender chicken with only two seasonings. Made with shoyu koji and honey, this stays delicious even after it cools — the same marinade works beautifully with fish or tofu too.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 4 tbsp Shoyu Koji
  • 2 tbsp honey

Steps

  1. The night before, place chicken in a zip-lock bag with shoyu koji and honey. Massage to coat, refrigerate overnight (or freeze for later).
  2. Pan-fry over medium heat with a lid until lightly browned, flip, then continue over medium-low until juices run clear. Or air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 10 minutes, flip, 5 more minutes.

Tip: the marinated chicken freezes well right in the bag — great for busy weeknights. Try adding garlic or fresh ginger to the marinade.

Bowl of nikujaga, simmered meat and potatoes
Uses: Amber Shoyu Koji Serves 4

Hearty Nikujaga (Simmered Meat & Potatoes)

Just three seasonings — no mirin, sake, or sugar needed. This simple yet deeply flavourful nikujaga is packed with umami and gentle on the body.

Ingredients

  • Thinly sliced beef or pork (or minced meat)
  • 5 medium potatoes
  • 2–3 onions
  • ½ medium carrot
  • 1 pack shirataki noodles (optional)
  • 1 cup (100ml) dashi stock (or water)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • Shoyu Koji — 2–3 tbsp for the broth, plus 3 tbsp for the meat

Steps

  1. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces, potatoes into large chunks, slice carrots and onions. If using shiratake noodles, blanch and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Heat a little oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add meat, stir-fry until the colour changes. Add potatoes, carrots, and onions, stir-fry briefly.
  3. Add dashi (or water), honey, and Shoyu Koji (for the meat). Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer about 8 minutes until potatoes are tender.
  4. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a while so the flavours meld.

Note: the exact Shoyu Koji measurement was a little hard to read on the original recipe card — worth double-checking the "3 tbsp for the meat" amount with your client before publishing.

Jar of Japanese-style dressing made with shoyu koji and onion
Uses: Amber Shoyu Koji Makes about 1 cup

Japanese-Style Dressing with Shoyu Koji & Onion

A delicious dressing that makes your vegetables taste amazing. The gentle spiciness of onion brings out the sweetness and adds depth of flavour — it's even milder the next day.

Ingredients

  • 100g onion, grated
  • 4 tbsp Shoyu Koji
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (or to taste)
  • ½ tsp garlic, grated or minced
  • A pinch of black pepper

Steps

  1. Grate the onion (or finely mince) into a bowl. Add Shoyu Koji, vinegar, and honey, mix well.
  2. Add olive oil, garlic, and black pepper, whisk until well combined.

Tip: refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavours meld. Keeps in the fridge up to 1 week.

Grilled lamb chops with fermented marinade, plated with vegetables
Uses: Amber Shoyu Koji Serves 4

Lamb Chops with Fermented Marinade

Marinated for tenderness and deep flavour. Rosemary adds an aromatic touch that makes this dish extra special.

Ingredients

  • 4 lamb chops
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2½ tbsp Shoyu Koji
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ⅓ tsp salt
  • A pinch of black pepper

Steps

  1. The night before: combine all ingredients and coat the lamb chops well. Massage into the meat, place in a zip-lock bag, and refrigerate overnight for best results.
  2. Pan-frying: bring to room temperature first. Cook 2–3 minutes per side over medium-high until browned, then lower heat, cover, and cook 5 more minutes.
  3. Oven or air fryer: bake at 200°C (390°F) for 15–20 minutes, or air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 10–15 minutes.
  4. Rest a few minutes before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: delicious with grilled vegetables, potatoes, or a fresh salad.

Simple fermented vegetable soup made with consommé koji
Uses: Consommé Koji Serves 4+

Simple Fermented Vegetable Soup

A gentle, flavourful soup made with the natural sweetness of vegetables and the umami power of fermented seasonings. Fun to customise with your favourite veggies — let's make the most of seasonal produce.

Ingredients

  • 1kg mixed vegetables from your fridge, at least 4 types (e.g. potato, carrot, onion, celery, ginger, cauliflower, broccoli, tomato, cabbage)
  • 3 tbsp Consommé Koji
  • Water, as needed
  • Herb salt, a pinch (optional)
  • Black pepper, a pinch

Steps

  1. Cut the vegetables you have on hand into appropriate sizes (about 1cm pieces).
  2. Add all ingredients to a pot, add just enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until vegetables are tender.
  3. Season with herb salt and black pepper to taste.
Warm asparagus served with garlic koji oil
Uses: Garlic Koji Serves 4

Garlic Koji Oil with Warm Asparagus (Broccoli OK)

Lightly cooked veggies are packed with vitamins and have a crisp, refreshing texture. The garlic koji oil is full of flavour and makes this a perfect side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus (or broccoli)
  • 1½ tsp Garlic Koji
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • Herb salt (or salt), a pinch
  • Black pepper, a pinch

Steps

  1. Trim the tough ends of the asparagus and peel the lower stem if needed. Cut broccoli into bite-sized florets.
  2. Boil or steam until just tender. Drain and rinse briefly in cold water to preserve colour.
  3. In a frying pan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add Garlic Koji and stir gently. Add the vegetables, toss to coat, and season with herb salt and black pepper.

Tip: also great served cold or at room temperature. Try adding it to pasta or salads.

Green beans tossed with everything sauce and toasted sesame
Uses: Everything Sauce Serves 4

Green Beans with Everything Sauce & Toasted Sesame

A quick and delicious side dish. Our Everything Sauce is incredibly versatile and works beautifully in many dishes — simply toss it together with toasted sesame seeds for an easy, Japanese-style side.

Ingredients

  • 200g green beans
  • 1 tbsp Everything Sauce
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Steps

  1. Trim the ends of the green beans (or use asparagus instead). Place in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and pour over boiling water. Leave 5 minutes, then drain well.
  2. Combine with Everything Sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Toss well to coat and serve.

Tip: this recipe also works wonderfully with asparagus, broccoli, spinach, or snow peas.

Red miso glazed eggplant
Uses: Red Miso, 12-Month

Red Miso Glazed Eggplant

A classic nasu dengaku, built around our bold, cedar-aged red miso — rich enough to stand up to the eggplant's char.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Red Miso, 12-Month
  • 2 Japanese eggplants, halved
  • 1 tbsp mirin or maple syrup
  • Sesame seeds, to finish

Steps

  1. Score eggplant flesh and broil until soft.
  2. Whisk miso with mirin into a glaze.
  3. Brush over eggplant, broil 2–3 more minutes.
  4. Top with sesame seeds.
White miso salad dressing in a small jar
Uses: White Sweet Miso

White Miso Dressing

Milder and sweeter than our red miso, this one turns into a creamy, gently savory dressing in under five minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp White Sweet Miso
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp water, to loosen

Steps

  1. Whisk miso and vinegar until smooth.
  2. Slowly whisk in oil.
  3. Thin with water to desired consistency.

Looking for cake recipes? Our raw cakes are ready-to-eat by design — recipes for these may be added down the line.