Koji-Aged Pastry with Binchotan Kabocha

Introduction

In the quiet halls of the temple, we learn that time is an ingredient as vital as water or salt. Today, I have translated the modern appreciation for aged pastry through the lens of shojin ryori. By allowing a dough of stone-ground flour and shio-koji to rest and mature, we capture a deep, bread-like umami that mirrors the soul of the earth. This dish is a dialogue between the patient fermentation of the crust and the fleeting sweetness of kabocha roasted over white charcoal.

Ingredients

• 150g organic heirloom wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon shio-koji (house-made)
• 60ml cold kombu dashi
• 200g Kabocha squash, sliced into 5mm crescents
• 2 tablespoons aged tamari
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ginger juice, freshly grated
• A few sprigs of micro-shiso for garnish
• Handful of toasted black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine the flour and shio-koji in a ceramic bowl, gradually adding kombu dashi until a firm dough forms.
2. Wrap the dough in a damp hemp cloth and allow it to age in a cool place for 24 hours to develop its fermented character.
3. Prepare your binchotan charcoal until it glows with a steady, flameless heat.
4. Lightly brush the kabocha slices with a mixture of aged tamari and ginger juice.
5. Grill the kabocha over the charcoal, turning once, until tender and marked with deep caramelization.
6. Roll the aged dough into an asymmetric, rustic round, keeping the edges intentionally uneven to honor wabi-sabi.
7. Place the grilled kabocha onto the center of the dough and fold the edges slightly inward.
8. Bake in a high-heat oven at 200C for 15 minutes until the crust is golden and crisp.
9. Finish with a light brush of sesame oil and a scattering of black sesame and shiso before serving.

As you take your first bite, notice the complexity that only time can provide. The slight acidity of the aged crust balances the richness of the tamari-glazed squash. It is a reminder that beauty—and flavor—often require us to simply wait. May this small offering bring you a moment of Zen.

Hiroshi