From kebabs to cocktails, kōji finds a new home in modern Indian dining
The fermented mould, which is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, unlocks sweet-savoury-umami flavours, and has become a foundation for culinary experiments in modern Indian cuisine
What happens when steamed grains are laid out under muslin, left to rest in warm, humid air? Within days, a delicate white bloom spreads across the surface, releasing a nutty, almost chestnut-like aroma. It might appear to be a science experiment, but, in fact, is a culinary revolution in slow motion—kōji, or Japanese fermented rice (or barley) mould that is quietly building flavour blocks in Indian gastronomy.
Kōji has long been revered in Japan for its ability to break down starches and proteins into sugars and amino acids, unlocking deep savoury flavour, what chefs and scientists alike call umami. Once confined to Japanese kitchens, the fungi Aspergillus oryzae is now being harnessed by a growing tribe of Indian chefs, brewers and fermenters in creative ways. From reimagined tandoori marinades to kōji-laced cocktails, its applications are expanding fast.
At INJA, the Indian-Japanese restaurant in Delhi, chef Adwait Anantwar uses kōji to make miso—a fermented soybean paste that uses kōji as a starter culture, rendering a unique flavour. He uses locally sourced cashews and peanuts to make miso tailored to local palates. It lends depth to curries, while a syrupy kōji glaze brightens up everything from chicken wings to a vegetarian banana bonito.
Also read: Master the basics of miso to transform everyday home cooking
The rise of kōji aligns with a global fermentation revival. While fermentation is integral to Indian food culture—think dosa, kanji, or pickles—kōji offers something more: precision. Traditional Indian fermentation methods are often more intuitive and variable.
“Kōji has an earthy sweetness that lends itself to both savoury and sweet dishes. Since we are always exploring and experimenting, it’s good to have this tool as an ingredient in our arsenal," says Buland Shukla of Ferment Station in Goa, which is part of his restaurant For the Record. “What’s exciting about kōji is the control and creativity it offers," he adds. In his kitchen, the traditional bebinca is reimagined with chocolate and a roasted kōji mousse.
In Mumbai, chef Hussain Shahzad of Hunger Inc. encountered kōji through acclaimed chef René Redzepi’s book The Noma Guide to Fermentation. It’s now a staple in his kitchens, from pao miso to shio kōji (a traditional Japanese seasoning made by fermenting kōji with salt and water) marinades. At Papa’s, the “Bugs Bunny" dish, grilled rabbit with mushroom garum (fermented sauce) and red weaver ant tare, gets a savoury depth from kōji.
Kōji also enjoys a status in desserts, elevating them with a sweet-savoury-floral profile. At Bombay Sweet Shop, sous chef Tulsi Ponnappa, says, “We use honey kōji for its gentle sweetness and umami, cooking it with rice for added creaminess, to make a honey kōji ice cream. It goes into a gulab jamun churro sandwich with caramelised banana, and a drizzle of shoyu kōji syrup. The result is a rich, balanced dessert with deep savoury-sweet layers and a lush mouthfeel," she says.
Even traditionalists are exploring its power. Chef Mohib Farooqui of Accentuate Food Lab—a private dining space that is open only by reservation—in Aurangabad uses shio kōji to marinate Junglee Murgh, a rustic dish from Sailana in Madhya Pradesh. A four-hour application enhances flavour, locks moisture, and crisps the skin over a grill.
Kōji is also filtering into India’s beverage scene. In Pune, Great State Aleworks’ founder Nakul Bhonsle uses kōji in his lager, just 5% of the grain bill, but enough to add a crisp finish and soft aroma. Arijit Bose of Spirit Forward in Bengaluru crafts modern cocktails like the Miso Old Fashioned, where miso lends salinity and roundness to a classic spirit-forward profile. Whereas the Red Miso Highball is a blend of salted butter-washed Japanese whisky, apricot syrup, and coconut soda.
Kōji has been a key component in traditional Japanese drinks, specifically sake that first found its way into Indian fine dining in the early 2000s, led by high-end Japanese restaurants like Wasabi by Morimoto in Mumbai and MEGU in Delhi. The Asian restaurant boom that gained momentum since then gave rise to a higher demand for sake. On the outskirts of Mumbai, India’s first certified sake brewer, Maia Laifungbam, is brewing sake with indigenous rice from the North-East. “I got hooked on kōji the moment I saw what it could do to rice. It unlocks the grain’s hidden personality, bringing out this gentle sweetness and complexity," she says.
From reducing food waste to enhancing umami, kōji’s appeal lies in its range of applications. It’s being used to extend shelf life, build complexity in sauces, tenderise proteins, and even replace dairy or meat in plant-based cooking.
In Goa, kōji maker Prachet Sancheti, also known as Brown Koji Boy, is turning food waste like jackfruit peels, coffee chaff and spent grains into flavour-rich pastes and garums. He makes his own kōji from scratch. “We work with kōji the way most kitchens work with an egg—not as a centrepiece, but as a foundation," he says. His products—miso, syrups, sauces, and oils made from local grains—are used by chefs in kitchens across the country.
Chef Jyoti at The Second House restaurant in Goa sees kōji as a way to rethink waste.“Kōji lets us transform kitchen scraps—like bread, peels and trimmings—into something new. We clean and prep them, mix in kōji, salt, and water, then let time and temperature do the work. The mould’s enzymes break everything down into sugars and amino acids, layering flavour. We stir, sometimes age it for weeks or even months, to achieve a rich, umami-packed paste instead of waste."
Even paneer is getting a kōji makeover. At Omny Kitchen, Gurugram, chef Vicky Ratnani relies on homegrown spores from Brown Koji Boy. He ages the paneer with kōji to develop a golden crust and deep, nutty flavour. “Our kōji miso butter works on everything—from grilled corn to kebabs and even dal."
India’s kōji moment isn’t driven by trends or social media virality. Like any good ferment, it’s slow and sincere. What makes it powerful is how chefs are using kōji to rediscover local traditions and reimagine them for today.
Also read: Why Japanese food is so much more than just sushi and ramen
Insia Lacewalla is a Goa-based food and travel writer.
topics
