Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Shio Koji

Analysing hundreds of thousands of recipes uncovers shio koji's optimal flavour pairings.

Shio koji is defined by the unmistakable flavour of glutamate and rice, yet its initial umaminess is only the opening note. Beneath lies a tapestry of pear, hints of lactic acid, and the fermented aroma of protease that give it remarkable depth. Understanding how these elements interplay is the secret to unlocking shio koji's pairing potential.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our findings reveal, for instance, how parsley's hexenal tones can carry shio koji, or how bay leaf's laurelled notes create an unexpectedly harmonious bridge with the savoury richness.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as maillard, nectarous, or floral, combined with layers of subtle flavour notes (outer bars). For a balanced dish, pair ingredients with a variety of core flavours, and choose complementary aroma notes for harmony.

Unlocking Flavour Combinations

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Glutamic Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between glutamate and bay leaf flavours. Since shio koji has a distinct glutamic flavour, try pairing it with bay leaf flavours.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing shio koji with bay leaf.

Harmonious Flavours Of Shio Koji

Just as our analysis found that glutamate and bay leaf flavour notes are often combined, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in shio koji. E.g. the rice-like accents of shio koji are often used with koji and sesame notes.

The aroma notes associated with the various aromas of shio koji can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of parsley offers many of the aromas complementary to shio koji, including grassy and leafy aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of parsley has many of the of the features that are complementary to shio koji, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of parsley across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with shio koji.

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of shio koji, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of shio koji, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma notes complementary to shio koji.

What To Drink With Shio Koji

The bay leaf notes in carmenere make it a perfect pairing with shio koji. Likewise, the leafy flavours in les baux de provence create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of shio koji below.

Which Vegetables Go With Shio Koji?

Choose vegetables that ground its sweetness or anchor its fermented aroma. Green cabbage and daikon offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Asparagus add a gentle, oniony brightness, while celery introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with shio koji's savoriness. The addition of carrot, with its subtle thymic notes, can complement the glutamate beautifully, while celeriac lends a fresh leafiness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Shio koji), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.