How to make Amazake

What exactly Amazake?

Amazake is a traditional Japanese drink used as an energy shot during summertime and has many health benefits.

Amazake literally means “sweet sake.” 　

It tastes very sweet and delicious.

Amazake is a Japanese Super Drink.

Why is it good for our bodies?

Amazake is one of the fermented foods that has been handed down from ancient times in Japan.

Amazake is basically a fermented drink made with rice and Koji.

The sweetness comes from fermentation.

It’s made by fermenting a mixture of steamed rice and rice koji at a specific temperature.

This process turns the starch into or glucose and makes a sweet taste.

Koji is rice that has been inoculated (cultured) with a particular type of mold called Aspergillus oryzae.

Japan is the only country that uses a microorganism called Aspergillus oryzae to make Koji with rice.

The enzymes of Aspergillus oryzae break down the starch in rice and turn it into sugar.

Therefore, it becomes sweet like sugar even though it does not contain any sugar. Miso, soy sauce, and mirin are also cannot be made without Aspergillus oryzae.

By the way, there are two types of Amazake. One is Amazake, made from sake lees, which contains alcohol. And another Amazake, which I’m going to make now, is made by fermenting rice Koji.

Therefore, it does not contain any alcohol. Children and those who cannot drink alcohol can drink it with no worries.

How to make Amazake

First thing first,

Amazake

A Japanese Super Drink

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Prep Time 1 hr

Fermenting 8 hrs

Total Time 9 hrs

Course Drinks, seasoning

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 10 servings

Equipment

• Rice cooker
• Thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

  

• 180 ml Rice short grain rice
• 180 ml Water ( to cook rice) preferably filtered water
• 200 g Rice Koji
• 400 ml Water (add later)

Instructions

 

How to cook rice

• Rinse rice in cold water.
  
• Cook in a rice cooker.

Fermenting

• Add water to cooked rice.

Notes

1.Wash the rice. Then put 180ml of water in the rice cooker and cook.

2.Add 180 ml of water to the cooked rice and stir.

3.Add Malted rice and mix.

 Keep the temperature below 70 degrees Celsius. Because the optimum temperature for making Amazake is about 60 degrees Celsius.

4.Fourth、Cover the rice cooker with a cloth that has been moistened with water and squeezed.　

5.Fifth, keep warm for 5 hours with the bass setting. At this time, do not close the rice cooker lid. Because it is important not to exceed 70 degrees. If the heat retention temperature is too high　it will fail.

6.Sixth, stir twice with a clean metal spoon while keeping warm.

Because using a wooden spatula makes it easier for germs to enter.

 

And that’s it! How easy is that? Please give it a taste.

If it’s very sweet, your Amazake is successfully done!

 Place it in a jar with a lid that has been boiled to sterilize, and store in the refrigerator. Please eat it within about 10 days.

 It can also be frozen.

 

Keyword Amazake, Fermented food, Healthy recipe, Koji, Rice, Rice Koji