Koji Making Workshop

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Curious about the magic of umami? Rich Shih, founder of OurCookQuest, is on a mission to share his knowledge on this subject to those looking to make everything they cook even tastier — regardless of skill level. He’s popping up at Commonwealth Market & Restaurant on Saturday, May 4th to give the lowdown on an underutilized ingredient: koji. It’s the secret behind why soy sauce tastes so good and you’ll find it used in a lot of Asian cooking, but most Americans are still pretty unfamiliar with the fungus, let alone the word itself. Beginning at 10:30am, you’ll learn your way around the kitchen with demos of how to make a marinade, paste and drink with umami. The afternoon sesh is all about making basic rice koji including incubation options. You’ll leave with a full belly —inspired tastings, a seasonal drink and lunch are all included — and some shio koji to recreate your learnings at home. Tickets are $120 each for the five hour class; get yours here.

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