THE KOJI KITCHEN · ZOH RECIPES
Miso is a project for the patient cook. Instead of making a seasoning in a week, you prepare a batch that develops over months. Choose a suitable place for ageing before you start, and keep a record of what goes into the container.
Preparation: soak overnight, then cook and mix · Ageing: months · Reference batch: approximately 2.5 kg
Ingredients · Method · Storage · Questions
Ingredients
- 500 g dried soybeans
- 1 kg dried rice koji
- 300 g salt
- Drinking water for soaking and cooking
Shop Zoh’s dehydrated Ambemohar rice koji. Use finished rice koji for this preparation, not koji spores.
Equipment
A large bowl, cooking pot or pressure cooker, masher, digital scale and a clean food-safe fermentation container with a suitable cover.
Step-by-step method
Wash the soybeans and soak in plenty of water for about 18 hours. Drain; cook in fresh water until the beans crush easily.
Mash the cooked beans. Separately combine the dried koji and measured salt thoroughly.
Let the beans cool until warm rather than hot, then mix evenly with the salted koji. Add only a little cooking water if the paste is too dry to combine.
Pack firmly into the clean container, pressing out air pockets. Smooth the surface and cover it closely to limit air exposure.
Age in a cool, dark location. The reference method uses about 10–12 months when starting in cool weather; warmer conditions change the schedule. Do not place it where temperatures reach 35°C or higher.
Refrigerate the finished miso. Use clean utensils when removing portions.
Storage and batch care
Keep your batch labelled throughout ageing. Once finished, refrigerate it. A long ageing period does not make every batch safe: if unexpected growth, odour or contamination appears, do not taste it to check or assume scraping the surface makes it safe.
Tips for your first batch
Plan the location first
A kitchen cupboard beside an oven is a poor choice. Check how warm your chosen space gets during the day and across seasons.
Keep the recipe together
Use one formulation from start to finish. Mixing ingredient ratios from different miso recipes makes it harder to understand the result.
Give it a batch card
Write the ingredient weights, start date, container and location on a card. Note any changes rather than relying on memory months later.
Common questions
Can I make this with chickpeas?
That is a separate recipe. Use a method formulated for the chosen bean rather than assuming an identical result.
Do I need to grow koji first?
No. Finished dried rice koji is already cultured. This project begins at the miso-making stage.
Is the liquid on miso always tamari?
Some miso preparations yield a savoury liquid, but this is not a promise of traditional tamari production or a guaranteed yield.
How do I use finished miso?
Try a little in soup, dressing or a glaze, tasting before adding other salt. Keep a separate clean spoon for removing paste from the jar.
Need a hand?
Send support@zohprobiotics.com your ingredient weights, timing, temperature and a clear batch photo. We can help you work through your preparation.
Keep exploring koji
- Shio Koji Recipe: Make an Umami Seasoning with Dried Rice Koji
- Amazake Recipe with Dried Rice Koji: A Naturally Sweet Rice Drink
Browse all koji recipes · Choose your rice koji pack
Recipe reference
Ingredient ratios and core method adapted from Kawashimaya’s dried-koji rice miso method. This is a reference-based preparation, not a claim of Zoh batch validation. Follow your pack directions where they differ. Images show serving inspiration.