Green lentil miso adds a beautiful, earthy umami flavour to dishes. It is perfect in simple soups and stews, but goes especially well with ones containing coconut milk.
300gcooked green lentils(use drained, canned lentils or cook 150g dried green lentils)
35gsalt
Instructions
Ensure that all your equipment is very clean. Running it through a dishwasher is the easiest way to ensure cleanliness, but jars could also be placed in an oven at 90’C for 20 minutes, if a dishwasher is unavailable
Cool the cooked green lentils to room temperature
In a large bowl, mix the koji, lentils and salt
Massage them together for a minute or two, so the lentils release some liquid
Squash the mixture into a jar, trying not to leave any pockets of air
Wipe any stray miso from the walls of the jar
Sprinkle a fine layer of salt on the surface, to prevent mold from forming
Cut a piece of greaseproof paper or cling film to fit over the surface and then weigh down with a glass weight (a small jar filled with water that fits inside your big jar is perfect!)
Cover with a t-towel, to prevent flies from entering
Sweet white miso (for example, 10 Day Miso) is perfect in salad dressings – it adds a depth of flavour that brings dishes to life. I’ve chosen hazelnuts, as they’re in season at the moment, but all nuts work well in this warming autumnal salad.
Koji is the term for a grain or bean that has been inoculated with Aspergillus Oryzae, a special fungus that has been domesticated for about 9000 years.
White Rice Koji is made by steaming white rice and then allowing spores of Aspergillus Oryzae to germinate and multiply on it.
This process is carefully controlled to ensure conditions are perfect for koji growth, with both temperature and humidity monitored continually. The fungus then converts starch within the rice into a range of enzymes, which go on to create the delicious range of savoury/umami flavours within foods like miso and soy sauce.
Before being packaged, the koji is gently dried to preserve it, and it is then delivered to fermented food enthusiasts around the world!
Amazake is a traditional Japanese drink made from koji. It can be drunk ice cold in Summer, or gently heated to provide a delicious warm drink in Winter.
It has recently been labeled as a super food due to it’s high nutritional content – including complex B vitamins and all the amino acids the body needs. It also contains oligosaccharide, a prebiotic important for gut health.
There are thousands of different recipes for miso – ranging from warm yellow misos that can be made in a few weeks; to rich, dark misos that take several years to mature.
This recipe is the perfect place to start your miso making journey – it is one of the easiest misos to make and will be ready in just 10 days.
Once you’ve mastered this, you can move on to experiment with different flavours (like green lentil miso) and experience the joy of tasting a miso that you’ve waited many months, or even years, to enjoy!
Before making any miso, ensure that all your equipment is very clean. Running it through a dishwasher is the easiest way to ensure cleanliness, but jars could also be placed in an oven at 90’C for 20 minutes, if a dishwasher is unavailable.
Place the beans in a bowl and add 1 litre of water. Cover and leave to soak in the fridge overnight.
Drain the beans and transfer them to a large pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil; then reduce the temperature, add a lid, and simmer until the beans are soft. NOTE: This takes about 45 minutes for fava beans, but may take several hours for soya beans.
When the beans are cooked, pour them into a colander and drain.
If you’d like a smooth miso, blend the beans with a hand-held blender or food processor.If you prefer a chunky miso, roughly mash the beans with a fork.
Once the beans have reached a consistency you’re happy with, leave to cool.
Mix in the packet of koji and 60g of salt.
Form the miso into small balls. If the balls crack they are too dry, so will need a little bit more water mixed in.
Squash the balls into a clean jar, ensuring all pockets of air are removed.
Once all the miso has been squashed into the jar, sprinkle the surface with the remaining 2g salt. Then cover and transfer to a warm place (25-30'C) for 10 days.
After 10 days, gently scrape the salt from the surface and taste the miso. If it is the required strength, transfer to a fridge and enjoy! It will keep in a fridge for several motnhs. If you prefer the miso a bit stronger (or the temperature has been lower than 25’C) then replace the salt topping and leave for another few days.
Notes
Non-iodised salt, is a salt that does not contain additives which may inhibit fermentation
There are thousands of different misos - ranging from warm yellow misos that can be made in a few weeks; to rich, dark misos that take several years to mature.
Amazake is a traditional Japanese drink made from koji. It can be drunk ice cold in Summer, or gently heated to provide a delicious warm drink in Winter. It has recently been labeled as a super food due to it’s high nutritional content – including complex B vitamins and all the amino acids the body […]
Sweet white miso (for example, 10 Day Miso) is perfect in salad dressings – it adds a depth of flavour that brings dishes to life. I’ve chosen hazelnuts, as they’re in season at the moment, but all nuts work well in this warming autumnal salad. Warm Broccoli and Hazelnut Salad with a maple, hazelnut and […]
Green lentil miso adds a beautiful, earthy umami flavour to dishes. It is perfect in simple soups and stews, but goes especially well with ones containing coconut milk.
