Guide to Sake Kasu: 5 Uses for Japanese Sake Kasu

Sake kasu is a fermented Japanese cooking ingredient that is derived from the sake brewing process. Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from combining a yeast mixture with rice grains, water, and a type of mold called koji in Japanese (which is also used to make soy sauce and miso). Sake kasu or “sake lees” is the solid mash by-product (or pulp) leftover after the sake is pressed.

After the sake is pressed, the lees—or kasu—are left behind to be extracted in thick sheets that can be formed into a paste for cooking. Sake kasu is a popular ingredient found in Japanese grocery stores and is high in nutritional value, containing protein, amino acids, carbohydrates, and vitamins (though it does contain alcohol). Sake brewers often sell or give away their kasu for home cooks to use.

Sake kasu has a fruity flavor similar to Japanese sake, but with its own distinct sweetly-savory properties. This rice wine byproduct adds umami notes to food, adding depth and dimension to food without inundating it with sweetness. It can add a mildly sweet, fruity flavor to many dishes and is used in things as diverse as ice cream, pickles, along with soups and stews.

Sake kasu is a versatile ingredient that you can use in many Japanese dishes. Additionally, it is a delicious and effective way for home cooks to use food waste. Here are some common ways that people can use sake kasu.

1. 1. Flavoring dishes: You can add sake kasu to both soups and stews for a rich, bold umami flavor. You can use it for kasujiru (a popular winter soup in Japan), add it to miso soup, or add it to fermented dry sausage to bind the ingredients and give it an acidic kick. Sake kasu can also be used to make kasu senbei, a form of Japanese rice cracker, which is created by flattening the sake kasu and grilling until crisp.
2. 2. Kasuzuke pickling: Soaking veggies like cucumber or daikon radish in a sake lees marinade creates a dish called kasuzuke, a type of Japanese pickle (tsukemono). Narazuke is a winter melon that was one of the first foods to be pickled in a kasu marinade. This same pickling process can be used for marinating other ingredients such as fish or meat.
3. 3. Rice drinks: You can create a series of rice drinks with sake kasu, including amazake which is a traditional, creamy rice drink. While a non-alcoholic version can be made with rice koji, using sake lees creates an alcoholic version of the drink.
4. 4. Baking: Fusion bakers may add sake kasu to their creations for a sweet-yet-umami flavor. It can be used to add dimension to sweet foods like cheesecake, chocolate, or ice cream. It also contains yeast, which can help leaven your baked goods.
5. 5. Skincare: Sake kasu offers additional health benefits outside of simply consuming it. Some mix sake kasu with water and a little honey to make a skincare paste, as the kojic acid in sake kasu can be beneficial for skin by helping to lighten dark spots.

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