I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

Author NEMO shares the unique process of using a distinct mould in preparing and cooking vegan cuisine in the book “Koji: Production and Applications.”

The Synopsis

Koji: Production and Applications opens the second part of the Terra Vegan series and takes the reader into the oldest transformation in cooking, the one that happens before the stove is lit. Its protagonist is Aspergillus oryzae, the mould that has quietly worked rice in Japan for centuries and that today becomes the most powerful tool in plant-based cooking.

Nemo starts from history and biology: how the fungus lives, what its enzymes actually do, why amylases turn starch into sweetness, proteases build umami and lipases release the aromas hidden in fats. This is not theory for its own sake: understanding what happens inside the grain is what allows you to govern the process instead of submitting to it.

The heart of the book is the production of kome-koji step by step, ten phases described one by one: choosing and washing the rice, soaking, steaming, cooling, inoculation, the first twenty-four hours, the turning, the final maturation and how to recognise a successful batch. Each phase has its own timings, temperatures and signals to watch.

Drying and stabilisation follow, that is how to turn a living and perishable product into an ingredient that keeps for months, together with the preparation of starter powder: milling, sieving, dosage and storage.

Five base recipes put koji to work straight away: fresh kome-koji, shio koji, amazake, koji water and koji paste. They are the foundation on which every later volume in the series rests.

The book closes with a chapter on safety treated as knowledge rather than fear: why Aspergillus oryzae is safe, what the real risks are, when a batch can be saved and when it must be discarded, and how to spot a process problem before it becomes damage.

THE REVIEW

This was the most unique and engaging cookbook in this series to date. The author does an incredible job crafting and curating a healthy balance of history and science when exploring this specific mould. Rather than focusing on specific recipes, the author takes time to highlight how this mould was used in Japan and how it has translated into our modern world, as well as the science of how the mould works and how it needs to be prepared. 

The author does a great job breaking down the entire process of making Kome-Koji, from selecting and washing the right rice to the incubation timeline and stabilization during drying. The recipes found in this book are unique, exploring how Kome-Koji is used for Koji Water and Koji Paste, as well as fresh Koji and Amazake, and laying the foundation for future books in this series as Koji becomes the base of future topics. 

THE VERDICT 

Interesting, engaging, and memorable, author NEMO’s “Koji: Production and Applications” is a must-read nonfiction cookbook for vegan Italian cuisine. The book’s unique balance of history and biology, and its scientific process for bringing this base to life for future recipes, make for a remarkable read that pushes readers to better understand the ingredients they put into their bodies and what the natural world creates. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

RATING: 10/10

About the Author

Nemo T.V. is an Italian author and culinary consultant specialising in the vegan transformation of traditional cuisine. His vision represents the intersection of Italy’s rich culinary heritage and a profound philosophy of respect for all forms of life.

At the heart of his work lies more than just flavour; it is an ethics rooted in planetary sustainability and the protection of animal welfare. Through his writing, Nemo offers a proven method for rediscovering heritage dishes through a plant-based lens, demonstrating that cooking can simultaneously be an act of love for tradition and a concrete commitment to the future of the Earth. His work invites readers to embrace a conscious lifestyle, where every ingredient is chosen for its nutritional value and its positive impact on the world around us.