Koji
Shio Koji Acqua Pazza with Sea Bream
Sea bream fillets coated in shio koji, seared skin-side down, then steamed with cherry tomatoes, okra, white wine and olive oil. The koji keeps the fish moist and melts into the broth for extra umami. One pan, about 20 minutes.
- Serves
- Serves 3
- Time
- About 20 minutes
Ingredients
- Sea bream fillets (or other white fish)3
- Shio koji1 1/2 tbsp
- Black peppera pinch
- Garlic1 clove
- Cherry tomatoes10
- Okra5
- Olive oil2 tbsp
- White wine50 ml
- Water100 ml
- Saltto taste
Optional
- Clams, purged150 g
- Pitted olives6–8
- Coriander or flat-leaf parsleya handful
Method
- Pat the fish dry, coat both sides with the shio koji and pepper, and leave in the fridge for 15–30 minutes.
- Slice the garlic. Hull the tomatoes. Trim the okra and cut it in half on the diagonal.
- Warm the olive oil and garlic in a frying pan over low heat. When fragrant, lift the garlic out.
- Wipe most of the koji off the fish with a spatula and keep it. Over medium-low heat, cook the fish skin-side down without moving it for 2–3 minutes, until golden. Turn briefly.
- Add the tomatoes, okra (and clams and olives, if using), the garlic and the wiped-off koji. Pour in the wine and water.
- When it bubbles, cover and steam over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes (until the clams open).
- Uncover and spoon the broth over the fish for a minute. Taste, add salt if needed, and finish with herbs.
Tips
- Shio koji is a Japanese seasoning made from rice koji, salt and water. It keeps fish moist and softens any fishy smell. Find it at Japanese grocery stores or online.
- Koji burns easily, so wipe it off before searing and keep the heat moderate. Add the wiped-off koji to the broth for umami.
- No shio koji? Use 1/2 tsp salt instead.
- Serve with bread to soak up the broth, or toss leftovers through pasta.
Shio koji works like salt, but adds a soft, rounded umami — a simple way to bring koji into everyday cooking. In UMAMI & KOJI LAB in Tokyo, you learn how koji works and make koji seasonings to take home.
