Koatji

You know about oat milk, but Koji is a cooked grain inoculated with a fermentation culture called Aspergillus oryzae, a koji mold, used in Japanese cuisine for centuries to make sake, miso, and other fermented foods. Koji is prepared by adding koji mold to steamed grains, then carefully kept in warm, humid conditions that promote growth. The fermentation process produces over 100 types of enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids, adding umami and nuttiness to the flavor, while breaking down starches into glucose, which creates natural sweetness.