Koji: Need Advice on Working With It

[AgriusRustica]

Hi all,
I posted a similar question to the vege board the other day, but since no one has replied, I thought I'd try my luck here, too.

I have purchased koji (rice) in dry form from a Japanese grocery store and want to try to make daikon radish pickles.

However, I don't know how I should be prepping the koji for use. Should I soak the koji before adding the sliced daikon? If so, in warm water or in a brine?

Any help with prep/proportions/ratios or other details about working with koji for pickle-making would greatly appreciated. All the info I have found on koji pertains to miso-making.

I'll be very grateful for any guidance on how to work with this cool stuff. Thanks in advance!

[Tim Hall]

I've not used dried koji before, but I suspect you'll want to add some moisture to it. My best guess would be if the pickle recipe calls for brining the radishes first, use some left over brine to re-hydrate the koji. Otherwise it seems like everything would be too dry. But this is just a guess.