Japanese fermentation– tag –

The National Fungus: Koji and the Mould That Built the Japanese Kitchen In 2006 a scientific society in Japan formally declared a mould to be the national fungus. It sounds like a joke. It is closer to a statement of fact — remove this one organism and most of what the world recognises as Japanese flavour disappears...

Harder Than Rock Salt: Katsuobushi and the Mould That Dries a Fish From the Inside Known in English as bonito flakes, a finished block of katsuobushi rings when you strike it. Getting there takes six months, ten fires, and four generations of a fungus that thrives in conditions close to a desert — and whose entire j...

Before soy sauce, gyosho (fish sauce) was Japan’s essential seasoning. This guide explores the history, science, and the three major regional traditions: Shottsuru, Ishiru, and Ikanago Shoyu.