Kinzanji miso

Step 1: Toast the 3 ½ oz dried soybeans in a dry, heavy pan over a medium-low heat, shaking often, for 15 minutes, until golden brown, crackling and smelling nutty. Cool, then crack in a bag with a rolling pin and blow or sift away the loose skins.

Step 2: Soak the cracked beans in warm water for 2 hours, drain, then simmer in fresh water for 25–30 minutes, until tender but holding their shape. Drain and cool to below 95°F.

Step 3: Meanwhile, cut the 7 oz aubergine and 7 oz firm cucumber into 7 mm dice, toss with 0.6 oz fine sea salt and leave for 1 hour, until limp. Squeeze very hard in a cloth until no more liquid comes out.

Step 4: Clean the jar or container and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or pour boiling water over and in it and air-dry upside down). Let it cool; it must be completely dry. Use a 2 litre jar or crock.

Step 5: Crumble the 14 oz barley koji (mugi koji) into a large bowl and rub with 1 ¾ oz fine sea salt until evenly mixed. Add the cooled soybeans, the squeezed vegetables, 1 oz fresh ginger and ⅛ oz kombu, and mix well with clean hands.

Step 6: Pack tightly into the clean container, pressing out air. Smooth the top, press cling film onto the surface and put a plate with a weight of about 500 g on top.

Step 7: Leave in a cool, dark place (18–77°F) for 3–4 weeks. Once a week, stir from the bottom with a clean, dry spoon, then smooth, re-cover and weight. Liquid rising on top is normal: stir it back in. It is ready when the barley is soft and the whole smells sweet and soy-like.

Step 8: Normal: dark liquid, small bubbles, a sweet, slightly alcoholic, soy-sauce smell. Bad: fuzzy coloured mould, slime, a putrid smell, or pink or black patches; throw it all away.

Step 9: Stir in the 3 ½ oz sugar and 2 tbsp soy sauce until the sugar dissolves and it turns glossy. Spoon into clean jars and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months, using a clean, dry spoon.