Koji

Aspergillus oryzae or "koji" is a noble mold ubiquitous in Japanese cuisine. Its superpower: nibbling on complex sugars (like starch) to transform them into simple sugars (like glucose). This action known as "saccharification" makes the production of sake, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and miso paste... and many other Japanese specialties.

There are three main families of koji: yellow, white, and black. The yellow is used to produce sake, the white to produce shochu, and the black to produce awamori. Mixed with rice, salt, and water, koji also becomes a natural flavor enhancer: the shio koji.

Like many other pillars of Japanese cuisine, koji in its culinary form was born in China. However, the Japanese seem to revere this little mold more than anyone else. The Japanese government even proclaimed it a "national fungus" in 2006… And local scientists kept its genome secret for decades. A national pride, therefore.