FERMENTATION KIMCHI, KOMBUCHA, KEFIR JUNE 3, 2017 Joyce Moser, UCCE Master Food Preserver of Amador/Calaveras County
Preservation without heat Fermentation Uses beneficial bacteria, yeast, and mold Reliably used for thousands of years Produces bio-preservatives: lactic acid, acetic acid, alcohol Prevents spoilage and growth of pathogens Preserves and creates nutrients; breaks down nutrients into more digestible form; aids in digestion Provides other health benefits Process is simple and inexpensive
Fermentation Categories Lactic Acid Ferments (sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, yogurt, yogurt cheese) Symbiotic Ferments (kefir, kombucha, ginger beer) Yeast Ferments (beer, wine, sourdough bread) Acetic Ferments (wine vinegar, malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar or other fruit vinegars Mold Ferments (tempeh, koji (miso, sake, soy sauce), some cheeses)
Fermentation Types Spontaneous Wild fermentation occurs spontaneously from bacteria, yeasts or molds Examples: sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, sourdough starter Starter Cultures Bacteria, yeast, or mold is introduced to the food Examples: yogurt, kombucha, kefir, sourdough starter
Common Ingredient: Salt Table salt (finely ground, usually contains iodine and non-caking additives Kosher salt (coarser salt with no additives) Canning or pickling salt (fine-grained salt similar to table salt, no additives) Sea salt (generic term for salt gathered by evaporation from sea water) Mineral-rich salts of the land
Common Ingredient: Water Non-chlorinated or purified water Hard or chlorinated water May cause cloudiness and off-colors in pickling brines May interfere with fermentation Preparation of hard or chlorinated water for use Boil and let sit for 24 hours to allow sediment to settle Carefully pour off the clear water and use for fermenting
Making Kimchi a hot and spicy vegetable ferment
Making Kimchi Ingredients Napa cabbage Salt Garlic, fresh ginger, Korean red pepper powder, Korean radish, green onions, fish sauce Process Brine and soak cabbage 3-6 hours, rinse Combine with other ingredients Ferment 1-2 days at room temperature
Symbiotic Ferment Kombucha, Milk and Water Kefir Kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) Matlike, cellulose structure produced with each batch Protects the fermenting tea against wild bacteria and yeast Reduces evaporation of the liquid Holds in naturally occurring carbonation as the batch develops Milk Kefir Grains Rubbery blobs known as kefir grains, look like plump little florets of cauliflower or cottage cheese As they are fed milk, they grow and multiply
Symbiotic Ferment (cont d) Milk Kefir, Kombucha, Water Kefir Water Kefir Grains Whitish, translucent crystals Need to be regularly fed sugar-water Multiply over time
Where do you get a Kombucha SCOBY and how do you care for it? From a friend or reputable supplier Home-grown from commercial Kombucha Avoid dehydrated, test-tube, or SCOBY without starter liquid DO NOT refrigerate or freeze; keep at room temperature covered with kombucha SCOBY will grow a new baby SCOBY with each batch -- the mother is on the bottom and baby grows on top SCOBY may sink to the bottom of the container, but the baby SCOBY always grows on top
Where do you get Kefir Grains and how do you care for them? From a friend or reputable supplier Fresh is best! Powdered kefir starter culture is not the same as traditional kefir grains (heirloom) Created in a lab, not by symbiotic relationship of bacteria and yeast Limited number of bacteria and yeast Limited use (2-7 times) Maintain viability by regular feeding Cull as needed and share grains with others
Making Kombucha a naturally fizzy fermented sweetened tea
Healthy SCOBYs
Ingredients Making Kombucha Tea (Camillia sinensis) Sugar Water (chlorine-free) SCOBY and starter liquid (kombucha) Process (Primary Fermentation) Prepare sweetened tea and let cool to room temperature Combine sweetened tea with 2 cups of kombucha (starter liquid) and SCOBY Cover with a cloth, set aside for about 7-10 days Remove and set aside the SCOBY and 2 cups of kombucha Bottle the remaining kombucha
Making Kombucha (cont d) Process (Secondary Fermentation) Return to glass jar and add any fruit, flavors or juices to the Kombucha Let ferment out of the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. Remove solid flavorings and bottle. Refrigerate Possible additions: Frozen or bottled fruit juice Canned, dehydrated or fresh fruit Herbs and spices Jam
Take a Break from the Booch Let the current batch go to kombucha vinegar Store the cultures in a SCOBY Hotel Share SCOBYs with others and restart when you re ready
Making Milk Kefir a slightly sour dairy ferment
Ingredients Making Milk Kefir 1 tablespoon milk kefir grains 1-2 cups fresh, pasteurized (animal) milk Process Combine kefir grains and fresh milk Ferment at room temperature for about 24 hours Strain thickened milk, wash the fermenting jar and reuse grains for a new batch May add a portion of previous kefir to new batch Not necessary to wash the kefir grains before making next batch
Under 1 week Taking a Break 3 Days to 1 Month Place grains in jar with fresh milk Store in refrigerator for 1 week in a sealed jar Strain kefir and proceed as normal Over 1 week Follow steps above, but strain kefir and refresh milk each week
My Personal Reading List National Center for Home Food Preservation, http://nchfp.uga.edu/ Colorado State University, http://farmtotable.colostate.edu/prepareferment/kimchi.pdf Colorado State University, http://farmtotable.colostate.edu/prepareferment/kombucha.pdf The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Catz, 2012 Wild Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Catz, 2016 Fermented Vegetables, Kirsten K. Shockey and Christopher Shockey, 2014 Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, Revised Second Edition 2001 Dom s All About Kefir Grains and Kefir, http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html Cultures for Health, http://www.culturesforhealth.com/