Then the corm is grated separately with a locally made wooden tool with a sharp serrated edge. Another method is to grate the corm from the inside out while still in situ in the ground. After the completion of decorticating and grating, the leafsheath pulp is spread on fresh enset leaves covering the ground, after which the grated corm is spread on the processed pulp. This starter consists of already fermented kocho to which various spices and herbs are added. The total time period for this fermentation to occur ranges from 15 to 20 days.
Pits vary in terms of size and depth, with some requiring ladders.
The kocho must be left in a storage pit for a minimum of a month, but it can be stored for many months and even for several years. Some women note that for long-term storage, the kocho should be removed, the pit lining changed, and then the kocho returned to the pit.