Homemade Shiitake Mushroom Tamari

Steps

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1. 1
   Soak the soybeans overnight, then bring them to a boil the next day, skimming off the foam until the beans become tender.
   ▶ ≈0:18
2. 2
   Add the dried shiitake mushrooms and simmer everything together for about 15 minutes.
   ▶ ≈0:25
3. 3
   Blend the cooked beans and mushrooms in batches until you get a chunky paste, then transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the salt to form the mash.
   ▶ ≈0:31
4. 4
   Mix the koji into the mash thoroughly, then pack it tightly into a jar for fermentation.
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5. 5
   Fermentation normally takes 6 months to a year at room temperature, but placing the jar in a warm environment around 130°F (like a dehydrator) speeds this up to about 3 weeks, during which the color deepens noticeably.
   ▶ ≈1:03
6. 6
   Once fermentation is complete, you'll have a shiitake-flavored miso paste — save some of it for cooking and use the rest to extract the liquid.
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7. 7
   Load the miso into cheesecloth and press it in a cheese press to extract all of the dark, umami-packed liquid — this is your shiitake tamari.
   ▶ ≈1:28
8. 8
   The leftover solid mash can be dehydrated and fed to chickens as a fermented snack, while the final liquid is bottled up for use in all kinds of dishes.
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