{"product_id":"marukome-raw-shio-koji-500g","title":"Marukome, Raw Shio Koji (Nama Shio Koji), 500g","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\" style=\"line-height: 1.7; max-width: 800px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 1.05rem; margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eLive koji seasoning, in the kitchen-size pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eShio koji (塩糀) is a cultured rice seasoning of rice koji, salt and water, a living culture whose active enzymes tenderise protein and build umami on contact. This is Marukome's raw, unpasteurised shio koji in a 500g pack, the format for a kitchen that uses it daily. Rub it into meat, stir it into a braise, or use it as a marinade base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 22px; font-size: 0.9rem;\"\u003eJust trying it out? The same seasoning comes in a \u003ca href=\"\/products\/marukome-nama-shio-koji-cultured-rice-seasoning-200g\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e200g pouch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 24px; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); padding-bottom: 6px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eWhy Chefs Choose This\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 18px; margin: 0; font-size: 0.9rem; list-style: disc;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLive enzymes:\u003c\/strong\u003e raw and unpasteurised, so the enzymes are fully active for tenderising and umami.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOne seasoning, many jobs:\u003c\/strong\u003e marinade, cure, soup seasoning and dressing base from a single tub.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKitchen volume:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500g for a station that reaches for shio koji every service.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMarukome pedigree:\u003c\/strong\u003e Japan's largest miso maker, brewing koji products in Nagano since 1854.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); padding-bottom: 6px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 18px; margin: 0; font-size: 0.9rem; list-style: disc;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProtein cure:\u003c\/strong\u003e coat chicken, pork, fish or tofu, roughly 10% by weight, for 30 minutes to overnight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrilling:\u003c\/strong\u003e the rice sugars promote browning, so coat meat before grilling for a deeper char.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimmered dishes:\u003c\/strong\u003e stir into stews and braises for savoury depth without soy sauce.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDressings and pickles:\u003c\/strong\u003e blend into dressings, or massage into vegetables for a quick koji pickle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eShio koji (塩糀, salt koji) is one of Japan's oldest seasonings, made by combining rice koji, rice inoculated with the kōji mould Aspergillus oryzae, with salt and water and leaving it to mature. The koji's enzymes, mainly proteases and amylases, break down protein and starch, which is why shio koji both tenderises and deepens flavour in a single step. Long a quiet workhorse of the home kitchen, it found a wider audience with chefs in the 2010s as a way to replace several seasoning and curing steps with one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 22px; font-size: 0.9rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn more:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/masterclass\/the-all-purpose-wonder-seasoning-shio-koji\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThe All-Purpose Wonder Seasoning: Shio Koji\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 1rem; margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eWhat does shio koji do to food?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 22px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eTwo things at once. Its proteases break down protein, so meat and fish come out noticeably more tender and the flesh holds moisture better through cooking. At the same time the enzymes release free amino acids, which read on the palate as umami, alongside a faint sweetness from the rice. The effect is a cleaner, rounder savouriness than salt alone, with better texture. Used as a marinade it works in as little as thirty minutes, though a few hours or overnight gives the fullest result. Go easy on additional salt, as the koji is already salted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 10px 0 25px 0; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35);\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75; width:35%;\"\u003eType\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eShio koji 塩糀 (cultured rice seasoning)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eBrand\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eMarukome (brewing since 1854)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eStyle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eRaw, unpasteurised, live enzymes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eNet Weight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003e500g\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eJapan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eBest Used As\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eMarinade, cure, seasoning and dressing base\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem; opacity:0.75;\"\u003eStorage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:10px; border:1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size:0.85rem;\"\u003eRefrigerate after opening; a live product, keep chilled for best activity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 12px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eWhat is shio koji?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eShio koji is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from rice koji, rice inoculated with the koji mould, combined with salt and water. The culture produces active enzymes, mainly proteases and amylases, that break down protein and starch on contact. This is why shio koji tenderises meat and fish while building umami at the same time. It has been used in Japanese kitchens for centuries and drew global attention in the 2010s as chefs found it could replace several seasoning and tenderising steps with one application.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 12px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eHow long should I marinate with shio koji?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eFor most proteins, coat them in about 10% of their weight in shio koji and leave for anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight in the fridge. Thirty minutes lifts seasoning and umami; a few hours or overnight gives the fullest tenderising. Fish needs less time than meat, as it is more delicate. Wipe off the excess before cooking, especially before high heat, as the rice sugars catch and colour quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 40px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eHow should I store raw shio koji?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eKeep it refrigerated, sealed, and use a clean spoon each time. Because it is raw and unpasteurised, the enzymes and cultures stay active, so chilling keeps it stable and slows further change. Stir it if it separates. Kept cold and clean it holds well; bring it back to a workable consistency at room temperature briefly before use if it has firmed up in the fridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Marukome","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":13604832313379,"sku":"S0340","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0353\/5621\/files\/Sushi_Sushi_Product_Shots_Sept_24_15950.jpg?v=1728642545","url":"https:\/\/www.sushisushi.co.uk\/products\/marukome-raw-shio-koji-500g","provider":"SushiSushi","version":"1.0","type":"link"}