To make the remarkable home cooking dish, after all, the key is the seasoning and simple seasoning would be perfect to enhance the natural taste of the dish.
Koji contains nearly 100 types of enzymes that break down proteins and starches into sugars and amino acids improving food digestion and absorption in our body.
On the other hand, lemons are also expected to have various health benefits as the source of vitamin C and B, phosphorous, proteins, carbohydrates, and flavonoids
Besides, Citric acid, which plays a role in activating carbohydrate metabolism, and limonene, which has a relaxing effect.
Incorporating the blessings of both shio-koji and lemon into a healthy life, you will be healed by fragrant citrus-based lemon shio-koji.
What is Koji?
Koji is the Japanese traditional fermented condiment used for making Sake, soy sauce, mirin, miso…etc.
Rice is fermented with a mold called aspergillus oryzae, and is adding a distinct flavor to your food, koji is working for adding flavor and nutrition.
It is often used to tenderize meat and fish.
For more details, check out this post!
How To Use Lemon Koji
“Lemon Koji” is literally made of lemons, salt, and rice koji.
Salty and refreshing citrus lemon flavor.
It can add citrusy flavor instantly while breaking up the meat protein and turning it into the amino acids-umami flavor.
If you marinate meat such as chicken or pork in lemon shio-koji for 1-2 hours before grilling, the meat will be tender, juicy, and delicious.
There are so many ways to use this new traditional condiment in your cooking life, marinating meat, and fish, adding stir-fry, sauteing, stew, soup, salad dressing, cocktails, smoothies, and sweets!
Just use lemon koji as the substitute for the salt.
For salad dressing, just mix lemon koji with extra virgin olive oil! Adding soy sauce with lemon koji dressing can be the savory cold noodle sauce.
Quick Healthy Japanese LEMON KOJI SALAD DRESSING
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Homemade Lemon Shio Koji *See the post
- 2 tbsp Squeezed lemon juice/ white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Honey/ Raw cane sugar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½ clove garlic, grated *optional
- ½ TSP ginger, grated *optional
- 1 TSP sweet onion, grated *optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined and creamy.
- When you change extra virgin olive oil to roasted sesame oil, it'll be Asian lemon koji dressing.
- When you add mayonnaise to this dressing, it'll be coleslaw sauce.
Notes
Lemon Shio-Koji Vinaigrette With Sauteed Onion & Carrots & Lemon Thyme
Ingredients
- ¼ tsbp Lemon shio-koji *The recipe is in this post.
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsbp white wine vinegar or other mild vinegar
- 4 tbsp purified water
- 2 tbsp raw cane sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, sliced or minced
- 0.1 oz ginger, sliced or minced
- ¼ cup onion, sliced
- ¼ cup carrot, sliced
- 1 TSP Fresh Thyme, leaves *or other fresh herb
- 1 TSP vegetable oil
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Oil a small skillet, sautee garlic, ginger, sliced onion, and sliced carrot until they're tender.
- In a food processor/ mini-chopper, or using a blender, add lemon shio-koji, white wine vinegar, water, sugar, honey, sauteed veggies, and fresh lemon thyme. Combine well.
- Add fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
Make Lemon Shio Koji Sour
Make Japanese Style lemon sour made of Lemon Shio Koji.
It is actually really tasty with a mild-salty, natural Koji sweet flavor, and a hint of lemon peels, which is perfect for the summer cocktail to heal your body and soul.
For the recipe, check out this post. (or click the image. )
Make Toridango
How To Make Lemon Koji
As I said, “Lemon koji” is made of lemons, salt, and rice koji, and the water can help to make it smooth.
It can’t be used from the next day, since it needs a fermentation process, yes, it’s mindfulness cooking.
Enjoy making homemade healthy food while taking time in the hustle and bustle of everyday life!
I introduce how to make the classic Shio Koji aka koji salt in this post, it is easy to make despite it having few steps and the fermentation period.
I haven’t tried it yet, but, I am thinking of using the Yogurt function on an instant pot, so I am looking forward to telling you guys when I try and succeed.
(Or if you know it already, please let me know!)
Anyway, get traditional koji rice to make lemon koji.
Break up the crumbs thoughtfully when mixing it with salt, so I use a food processor / a mini-chopper which is my recent favorite kitchen tool.
Lemons
There are several Lemon koji recipes, and I use lemon peels and minced flesh.
Get organic unwaxed lemons.
If they are not available,
- Soak the lemon in lukewarm water mixed with dish soap and baking soda, for about 15 minutes.
- Scrub the lemons thoughtfully and rinse well.
Remove the yellow part only with a knife or a peeler.
Remove the white part from the flesh with a knife.
If you don’t use a food processor or a mini-chopper, mince lemon peels fresh thoughtfully.
EQUIPMENT
Using a mini-chopper or a food processor helps the cooking process and saves your time in this recipe.
Although you don’t have the tool, the whole process can be done with your hands.
Break the Koji crumbs thoughtfully, and combine the grains and salt really well.
Mince the lemon peels finely, and chop the flesh into real small pieces or you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
LEMON SHIO KOJI 101: Incorporate This Citrus Healthy Condiment Into Your Cooking Life
Equipment
- 1 clean jar
- 1 Food processor/ mini chopper
Ingredients
- 2 organic unwaxed lemon
- ½ cup Koji rice
- ¼ cup Salt
- ½ or more cup purified water
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients. *Miyako Rice Koji
- Wash and rinse lemons thoughtfully. Dry.
- Peel lemon with a peeler. Remove only yellow lemon skins as possible you can.
- Remove white parts from the flesh. Roughly, cut them into large pieces for using a food processor or chopper. Or, mince them well if you don't use the tool.
- Combine koji rice and salt well. ( I use a mini-chopper)
- Place the koji and salt mixture, lemon flesh, water, and lemon peels, and combine well with the food processor / a chopper.
- Transfer lemon koji to a clean jar. Keep it at room temperature overnight. Leave the lid half-opened.
- Refrigerate the lemon koji from the second day. Stir and mix the koji mixture once a day. *Add purified water if the koji is not submerged in the water.
- After 5-7 days, the lemon koji is completed. Use it for marinade sauce, seasonings, and salad dressing. *Make the paste with the food processor or a mini-chopper if the rice koji is the remaining grain.
- Lemon Koji will keep well for up to 1 month.