4th Koji-- success!

After three attempts, I feel I have mastered tomo-koji method. My Denby enameled cast iron pot proved to be good enough an incubator for koji, so far as I am using tomo-koji method.

This time, I have put another moist tea towel (microwaved for sterilization and put into the bottom of the pot in order to give extra moisture. My steamed rice in my linen tea towel went on top of that wet towel and, well, it seems my koji seems to love it there.

For the first time I experienced koji emanating heat. Very, very excited.

Methods of Koji-making

There are two major ways to make koji. One is from commercially produced koji spores (Tanekoji). The other is from koji itself--- this is called tomo-koji (友麹　or 共麹）method. You buy the first packet of koji, mix it with steamed rice and if you managed to make a good batch of koji, keep some for the next batch.

A quick search on the internet told me that tomo-koji is easier to make at home, though over the time, it can be more unstable. First introduced to the modern housewives by the author Hiroko Hayashi, it seems to be a darling method of health conscious housewives all over Japan ( and abroad).

Juzo Nagata, a writer from a former koji making family, explains in his book how many different types of koji are there, but unfortunately, I don't have much choice here in the UK.

I found a pack of Genmai Koji (brown rice koji) on sale at a macrobiotics shop.  The Home Brew Shop also sells Koji-kin. For my first ever koji making attempt, I decided to go for Genmai Koji packet, i.e. I will try tomo-koji method. I will mix some from the packet to steamed white rice.