Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (which itself is made by inoculating rice with Aspergillus oryzae, a type of safe fungus). It’s a thick paste used in a variety of dishes to impart a rich umami flavor, often described as savory and […]
Tag: umami
How to Make Your Own Shio Koji and Unleash the Umami
Shio Koji is a very simple, traditional Japanese seasoning made from a mix of rice koji, sea salt, and warm water. Koji, a type of mold used in fermentation, is responsible for breaking down proteins and starches into flavorful amino acids and sugars. This creates a savory depth known as […]
“Insano Sauce” (Copycat Lizano Sauce/Salsa)
Last year I had the unbelievably good fortune to spend a couple weeks in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, it was only in the last few days of my trip that I discovered a sauce there called “Lizano Salsa” (Lizano Sauce, pronounced like “Liz-Ah-No”, so you can pronounce my Insane in the […]
Umami 5-Spice Eggs
I had a vision to make black colored pickled eggs using Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, and molasses. I was taking my lead from balsamic vinegar pickled eggs which do in fact yield beautiful black eggs after a few weeks. And although this particular concoction only produced brown eggs, they […]