This week’s recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

This week, deputy Food editor Betty Hallock is all about shio koji:

“The latest trendy cooking ingredient in Japan is a fungus. And that fungus is spreading. Professional and home cooks in Japan are crazy for it, and it’s flying off the shelves at Japanese markets in the U.S., too.

“They’re using shio koji -- a fermented mixture of koji (rice innoculated with the special -- and safe -- mold Aspergillus oryzae), shio (sea salt) and water -- as a seasoning in place of salt for its powers of umami.

“Japanese supermarkets carry bottled salad dressings and sauces touting shio koji as an ingredient. The popular Japan-based burger chain Mos Burger this summer introduced a limited edition shio koji burger. ‘Moldy Mos Burger Confirms Koji Boom,’ read a Japan Times blog headline in June. Famed Tokyo ramen chef Ivan Orkin tweeted: ‘Shio koji burger at Mos Burger umami bomb extraordinaire!’

“There are blogs, websites, cooking videos and even a cartoon character devoted to the stuff, which some have dubbed a ‘miracle condiment,’ the ‘new MSG’ or the ‘next soy sauce. ‘“
Making your own is simple! Just follow this step-by-step for reference.
This week’s recipes include:

• Shio koji tuna poke
• Cafe Roka’s artichoke and portobello lasagna

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