Niku-bishio (Meat sauce)

Niku-bishio is an ancient seasoning of meat fermented with salt and koji. Recorded in Nara-period documents, it is considered one ancestor of soy sauce.

Rarely made today, but the principle of breaking down meat protein with koji enzymes is shared with fish sauce and miso. A historical example showing that the basic fermentation principle — enzymes converting protein to umami — works regardless of substrate. Similar meat-based fermented seasonings exist in China and Southeast Asia. Recently, meat fermented with koji is being re-evaluated. Tracing hishio history reveals how much fermentation has expanded humanity's food possibilities.