Online Koji Making Workshop
My name is Haruko from The Koji Fermenteria. As you can imagine from our name, we specialise in koji; growing it and using it with various foods to explore even more delicious and healthy ways to enjoy it in day to day life.
As koji’s popularity has been soaring up, I started receiving many requests for a koji making workshop. Last year I hosted a few and I have a strong desire to continue on doing so as spreading the koji culture and strengthening the koji community in the UK is my mission. Then Covid-19 happened…
I made the decision to move online but it required careful preparation. To provide the same quality of experience as an onsite workshop in an online class seemed almost impossible. However, through research and experimenting it began to look like an achievable goal. The main difficulty was showing the koji growing on and inside the tiny grains through the camera (as it is predominantly white without much contrast.)
I ran a pilot koji making class with two enthusiastic attendants last month and I am now convinced that my online koji making class far exceeds onsite class in terms of the amount and quality of the experience.
So, here I am.
I am going to launch an Online Koji making workshop!
A few important notes…
- The workshop will span over 14 days and involves three to four Zoom sessions (including a troubleshooting session) as well as ongoing support through a private Facebook group. I will be making the koji alongside you and share their growth/temperature by posting about it and going live on FB on the group page, so you can compare your koji growing with mine.
- Because of this, a Facebook account is pre-requisite. I am aware that this may make things difficult for some; however, unfortunately at the moment I have not found a medium of learning which exceeds the functionality of Facebook.
The summary of the class is as follows.
【Date】
From 12th October (Monday) over 14 days.
【Class Contents】
Three zoom sessions (To be recorded for later reference)
12th October (Mon) 2pm Brief overview, tools and Equipment
19th October (Mon) 1pm Steaming rice and sprinkling the koji starter
21st October (Wed) 1pm Trouble shooting (if required)
26th October (Mon) 2pm Review, Q&A, Introduction to koji’s application.
There will also be on-going support through a Private Facebook Group and Communication through Group Facebook Messenger
【Fee】
£100
【Register】
【Notes】
- If you do not have a koji starter, you can purchase them from my website.
- I now also have more copies of “Koji for Life” in stock.
【Online Koji Making Class】
Please enroll and secure your place through thekojifermenteria.com (dates section). The places are limited to 5.
I will then send you an invitation to a private Facebook group and messenger group. To do this, we will have to be connected on Facebook – please accept my friend request on first, this will then enable you to accept the group invitation.
Zoom invitations will also be sent.
In the first zoom session I will give an overview of koji making, show my setting as an example, provide information about tools and equipment as well as ingredients. I will introduce the most widely available and affordable options so don’t get too carried away and prepare everything before this Zoom session!
Please get a hold of the tools, equipment and ingredients required by the second Zoom session on day 8.
As the steaming is by far the most important step in koji making, I would strongly recommend doing a practice run of rice steaming at least once using a small quantity of rice (1 cup). This will help you to know the characteristics of your steaming equipment.
We will make koji together on the second week. It requires around 48 hours, which will be spread out over three days. We will be steaming and inoculating together on the Zoom session. (I am more than happy to do the troubleshooting Zoom session on request – no extra cost of course😊).
After this, I would recommend you to make koji at least one more time on your own before the last Zoom session on day 14. I can provide support if you need my help during this period.
In the final Zoom session, we will review our 14 days of koji making experience. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions that arised from your koji making and I will give you some tips on how to use koji in your day to day life.
Should you need any clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me (info@thekojifermenteria.com)
