Time goes by so fast, and since I made my homemade miso, it has past three months. It was time to check the condition of the miso, so I opened the lid of the container. It wasn't quite miso yet, but I felt an aroma of miso, and its brown color looked good. It made me think the fomentation has been going well. However, unfortunately, I found some mold spots on the surface. They looked pretty gross. Since mold can ruin the flavor of miso, I had to remove all of it completely.

After getting rid of the mold, I transferred the miso to a new, clean container.

I blended it well with both my hands in a pair of plastic gloves. This step helps improve both the fermentation process and the flavor.

I prepared a different clean container.

Then, I rolled the miso into balls and placed them carefully into the new container.

I pressed the miso down tightly to push out any air, since air can cause mold to form. I made sure to do this part very carefully.

After that, I covered the surface with plastic rap and pressed out the air between the rap and surface as well. I spent extra time on this step because the miso needs to go through the hot and humid rainy season, which often causes mold.

I even placed some small stones on top of the wrap to help keep the air out. Air is the main reason to cause mold.

Then I sealed the container with the lid.

Now it’s stored in a cool, dark place where it will continue to ferment for another three months. I’ll repeat the same process then. I really hope it won’t grow any mold this time!

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