Shiokoji chicken

Shiokoji is a traditional Japanese seasoning but it was limited in certain region.  It suddenly known to all over Japan for home cooking in few years ago.  It's a mix of salt and Koji and we used to make the mix by yourself but now we can buy already made packaged one in any supermarket.

You can marinate fish, meat or vegetables and it makes a very unique taste; salt taste but not salty and has a slight sweetness as well.

I found the combination of olive oil with shiokoji is wonderful.  I braised marinated chicken breasts with olive oil and small amount of chicken stock.

「胸肉の塩麹ブレゼ」海南鶏飯の胸肉を塩麹にマリネしておいた。それをオリーブオイルと鶏出汁でブレゼしたら、驚きの美味しさだった。たっぷり目にオリーブオイルを使うと、塩麹と乳化してとろりとしたソースができる。塩とはまた違う美味しさがある。やっぱり塩麹は冷蔵庫に欠かせない。