Meju
Air-drying meju, tied with rice straws | |
| Place of origin | Korea |
|---|---|
| Associated cuisine | Korean cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Soybeans |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 메주 |
| RR | meju |
| MR | meju |
| IPA | [me.dʑu] |
Meju (Korean: 메주) is a brick of dried fermented soybeans. While not consumed on its own, it serves as the basis of several Korean condiments, such as doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce), and gochujang (chili paste). Meju is produced by pounding, kneading, and shaping cooked soybeans, and undergoes fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae and/or Bacillus subtilis.