FERMENTATION KIMCHI, KOMBUCHA, KEFIR JUNE 3, 2017 Joyce Moser, UCCE Master Food Preserver of Amador/Calaveras County Fermentation • Preservation without heat • 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 Making Kombucha • Ingredients • 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 Making Milk Kefir • Ingredients • 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 Taking a Break 3 Days to 1 Month • Under 1 week • 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/prepare- ferment/kimchi.pdf • Colorado State University, http://farmtotable.colostate.edu/prepare- ferment/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/.