Sweet Pumpkin Miso

Halloween is all about pumpkins - they are 10 a penny in the shops right now- but, how about instead of carving them, why not culture them? This sweet and deeply savoury pumpkin miso turns roast pumpkin into something you can enjoy for months.

I don’t wait for leftovers - I roast pumpkin specially for this recipe. It’s that good.

No tricks here, just the ultimate fermented treat.

Why Pumpkin Miso?

• Naturally sweet flesh pairs beautifully with koji.
  
  
• Great way to use excess seasonal pumpkin.
  
  
• Perfect for cooking AND baking!.
  
  
• Ready in as little as 6–8 weeks but keeps developing complexity over time.
  
  

The Recipe

425g pumpkin
300g koji rice
72g salt (c 10% salt ratio)

Instructions:

• Roast the pumpkin until it's soft
  
  
• Leave to cool and blitz or mash into a smooth paste If you are using dried koji, moisten the grains with a little water and leave to soak (you want them moist not wet)
  
  
• Add the koji and salt to the pumpkin paste
  
  
• Pack the mixture very tightly into a suitably sized jar or vessel (I personally prefer glass or food safe ceramic over plastic). You'll need to allow space for weights on top of your miso, so for the measurements in this recipe, a 1 or 1.5 litre jar would work well.
  
  
• You need to make sure there are no air pocks so add the mixture a spoonful at a time and tamp it down as you go (or if you're feeling fancy - roll the mixture into small balls and throw firmly into the vessel packing each ball down as you go)
  
  
• Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to fit across the top of the miso (I tend to double up and use two sheets). Press it flat against the surface of your paste. Sprinkle salt around the edges to seal any gaps. Top with a weight (you can use a food safe bag full of salt or ceramic cooking beads if you don't have a fermentation weight)
  
  
• Cover with a lid. Leave to ferment at room temperature for at least 6 - 8 weeks, preferably up to six months, if you can bear to wait that long. 
  
  
• When it's ready to harvest (if it tastes great it's ready!) I mix in any liquid (tamari) and decant into smaller jars - packing tightly and pop them in the fridge.
  
  

How to Use Pumpkin Miso

• Stir into soup or broth for instant depth - especially good pumpkin or squash recipes!
  
  
• Spread on toast with butter and a sprinkle of sesame.
  
  
• Whisk into dressings or marinades.
  
  
• Add a spoonful to risotto, noodles, or roasted veg glazes.
  
  
• Great for sweet recipes calling for miso - like miso cookies or salted brownies
  
  

Coming Next Week: Cultured Pumpkins Part 2!

If you love a bit of cultured spice, don’t miss next week’s post - Pumpkin Kimchi. It’s vibrant, fiery, and perfect for the darker evenings ahead. It's also delicious with a cheeky spoonful of pumpkin miso (so save some of your miso for next year's pumpkin season)