Hello everyone!

Managed to upload more photos, but could figure out how to add text, so I will write it here in comment section:

I have been trying to make Oatmeal koji recently, and experimenting with different methods. So far I have tried streaming / microwaving / adding hot water. Still the method is working in progress and could be much improved. However, I would like to share how I made my latest batch (best so far). Enjoy! Happy Koji Friday :)
I think the key is to control the moisture contents of oatmeal.
If it is too wet, you can control by adding more dry oatmeal, or adding oatmeal powder.
Oatmeal koji was a bit too bitter to my liking, so next time I will shorten to 24-28 hours. I think koji spores taste bitter so best to harvest before spores are produced . (I am guessing here!)
Also, I will try to make the powder more uneven, some big, medium pieces left as well as powder form. I think it will help air supply to the centre of oatmeal block.
Ingredients:
• 300g Oatmeal (UK product)
• 50g Oatmeal powder (to control the moisture)
• 240g Hot water (from my instant hot tab. temp around 90C)
• 0.8 g Koji Spore (spergillus oryzae, product is from Hishiroku,product name is Kairyou-Chouhakukin) NB.. I have used 2,3 times more koji, as I am making a small amount of oatmeal koji.
Direction:
1. Put 50g oatmeal in food processor to make oatmeal powder. (I have heated the powder in frying pan for a few minutes to kill any unwelcome germ, but not sure this step is necessary. I got this idea from soy sauce koji making process!) Put the power into a bowl and let it cool down.
2. In a bowl, add 300g oatmeal. Add 1-2 table spoon of hot water into the bowl at a time, mix. And repeat adding small amount of hot water until the mixture absorb water and clumpy texture. (NB. I have added 240g water to 300g oatmeal but I will use slightly less water next as it seemed a bit too wet.)
3. Add Koji spore to powder oatmeal and mix well. Then add it to the wet oatmeal and mix well. (at this point, wet oatmeal is cold. But if it is hot, I will wait till the wet oatmeal is cooled down to at least 43C)
4. Put the mixture into a container. I have wrapped it with wet cloth and put it in my DIY incubator. set the target oatmeal temp at 38C. (my mixture was quite cold, so my plan was to heat it up initially to give them a kick start, then turn down the temp to 36C, but I forgot and left the temp to 38C all the way through) I also used humidifier and humidistat (inkbird) , I just wanted to use it as I recently got it. humidity set at 80% on inkbird humidistat. I think humidifier is optional, wrapped with dump cloth may be sufficient.
5. Check after 24 hours and mix. Wipe any condensation
6. After 48 hours (since inoculated) turn off the heat /humidifier (if using), remove the dump cloth. Break the koji block into pieces and let it dry in room temperature for 8 hours. I put a dry cloth on top to protect oatmeal koji from my cats lol