Amazake, sweet nectar of fermented rice
Cooked rice mixed with rice seeded with kōji, kept warm for hours: the enzymes of the ferment transform starch into sugar, yielding a thick, milky, naturally sweet and nourishing drink, without a drop of alcohol.
Cooked rice mixed with rice seeded with kōji, kept warm for hours: the enzymes of the ferment transform starch into sugar, yielding a thick, milky, naturally sweet and nourishing drink, without a drop of alcohol.
The pilgrim who knocks at Shōin-ji's gate with bleeding feet, I do not send him away with a sermon on an empty stomach! I hand him a bowl of steaming amazake. The kōji works the rice all by itself, gently, all night long, and changes bland starch into sweetness — without saké, without drunkenness, just strength returning. Zen is not reserved for lords: what sweetens the poor man's rice awakens as well as great sermons.
- •Cooked rice — one bowl (base starch)
- •Rice kōji (kome-kōji) — a good handful (sweetening ferment)
- •Hot water — to desired consistency (liquid)
- •Pinch of salt — one pinch (enhances sweetness)
Amazake, sweet nectar of fermented rice
Cooked rice mixed with rice seeded with kōji, kept warm for hours: the enzymes of the ferment transform starch into sugar, yielding a thick, milky, naturally sweet and nourishing drink, without a drop of alcohol.
Why this dish? Hakuin, who wanted to bring Zen out of the elite circles and to the common people, welcomed wandering monks and villagers at Shōin-ji. Amazake — rice fermented with kōji, naturally sweet and non-alcoholic — was the warm drink offered to tired pilgrims and shared at temple and shrine festivals, from the humblest to the greatest.
The pilgrim who knocks at Shōin-ji's gate with bleeding feet, I do not send him away with a sermon on an empty stomach! I hand him a bowl of steaming amazake. The kōji works the rice all by itself, gently, all night long, and changes bland starch into sweetness — without saké, without drunkenness, just strength returning. Zen is not reserved for lords: what sweetens the poor man's rice awakens as well as great sermons.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cooked rice — one bowl (base starch)
- Rice kōji (kome-kōji) — a good handful (sweetening ferment)
- Hot water — to desired consistency (liquid)
- Pinch of salt — one pinch (enhances sweetness)
Ingredients
- Cooked Japanese rice (or rice porridge) — 200 g (base)
- Kome-kōji (rice inoculated with kōji) — 200 g (enzymatic fermentation)
- Water at ≈ 60 °C — 400 ml (medium)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
- Fresh grated ginger (optional) — to taste (flavor, for serving)
Method
- Mix the cooked rice cooled to ≈ 60 °C with hot water and crumbled kōji.
- Keep the mixture between 55 and 60 °C for 6 to 10 hours (yogurt maker, slow cooker on 'keep warm', or thermos), stirring occasionally. Do not exceed 60 °C or the enzymes will be killed.
- Taste: when it is well sweetened, it is ready.
- Blend for a smooth texture if desired, dilute with water, add a pinch of salt.
- Reheat gently (without prolonged boiling) and serve warm, optionally with a little grated ginger.
How it was made : Amazake 'one-night' (ichiya-zake) is very ancient and remains a popular drink at festivals and temples. With kōji it is non-alcoholic, unlike the version made with saké lees. It was drunk hot in winter to warm up and regain strength.
The contemporary twist : Serve it chilled in summer in a small glass, temple-style 'smoothie' — the same ancient drink, two seasons.
Hakuin · Charactorium