Shio koji

If you’re a ramen fan, you know that “shio” means salt. Shio koji, then, is a seasoning made of salt, rice koji, and water.

Koji itself can come in multiple forms, but generally is a grain or legume inoculated with koji culture. In the rice koji that’s a key ingredient in shio koji, that grain is rice, but it can also be barley, soybeans, etc. Different types of koji are the backbone of so many pillars of Japanese cooking including soy sauce, miso, and vinegar.

As it’s made of fermented rice, shio koji has a consistency kind of like a thin rice paste or custard — some store-bought options have been filtered and so are liquid, making them better-suited for different applications than the more paste-y shio koji.

The fermented savoriness of shio koji means it’s ideal as a marinade or flavoring agent for meats and seafood, but it also is great for vegetables too, particularly for curing or a quick pickle; some cooks will just use it when a recipe calls for salt instead, since it adds another layer of flavor that salt alone doesn’t have.

At Uwajimaya, we carry shio koji in our grocery department alongside other sauces and fermented goodies!