Fermented Beans - Miso

 In Japenese, Miso means Fermented Bean - which is what is currently fermenting in my crock.  I have lost my original photos of the process once again in the black space of the internet, however I hope one day they circle back or the next batch I make I will add to them.  So explaining what I did will have to suffice and you can see my miso as it is January 2018. 
Miso is different than the other ferments I show in that it is a Fungus.  We use Koji Rice which is a mold spore which is what ferments the beans into miso paste.  This mold spore brings in the inoculate that will convert the beans into a fermented paste.    We make miso in an anaerobic environment like the other ferments .  I am excited for this ferment to be ready.  I enjoy store bought miso so making it myself I am counting on it being even better .  I didn't make my miso with traditional soy, but Adzuki Beans making a red miso paste.

Due to missing my preparation photos (until the black hole returns them)  I soaked my Adzuki beans overnight in salt water - which helps make them more digestible.  The next day I drained the beans keeping some of the liquid to make a brine with some of the salt.  I then boiled them in a pot until they were soft.   Once they were soft, I put them through my nutribullet to make a paste, then added the koji and salt.  I salted the sides of my crock/jar to help make it less susceptible to any oxygen or bacteria getting in.  I placed a piece of wax paper on top, put the lid on the weck jar, labelled it and it has been sitting on my counter slowing fermenting.  I tasted it and pulled back the paper in this January 2018 and you can see the results.  Miso needs 6 months to ferment so my calendar is marked for May.

Ferment Type: Bean/Fungus
Date :  November 24th, 2018
Ingredients:
1 Cup dry Adzuki Beans
1 Cup dried koji
4 Tablespoon (60 grams) salt
1 Cup mixing liquid
1 Tablespoon (15 grams) seed miso (live unpasteurized miso starter)
the
Notes:  reading above with my process - I enjoyed making this ferment.  It seemed to be flawless and other than losing my photos - changes seem to be slow to the eye.

** January 15th, 2018 - tested the Miso - it has great flavour already.  No mold forming, no smell and the texture is starting to be pasty.  I think it's going to be a great batch.  Roll on May!

Modifications: None other than using Aduzki beans rather than traditional soy
Harvest Date:  May 2018
Harvest Details - to date unknown.