Category: Recipes

Fermented Spicy Fruit

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Fruit Ferment 1

Ingredients

  • 2 – 3 cups peeled, pitted chopped seasonal fruit
  • 1/4 cup nuts
  • ⅓ cup sultanas or other dried fruit
  • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or another sweetener
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom pods
  • 2 star anise
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 5 mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 – 3 unpeeled lemon wedges, finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon grated ginger juice
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt to taste
  • 1 – 1.5 cups filtered or boiled water as needed
  • Orange slices

Method

  1. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit 15-20 minutes.
  2. Scoop it into a litre jar pressing with a spoon to compact it and bring up the juices so that it covers the fruit. Add more water here if necessary.
  3. Cover the mixture with slices of ginger or orange to hold down any floating fruit. Place a glass weight on top if you have one.
  4. Cover with a lid, tightly and place on a plate to catch any juices that might escape from the jar.
  5. Ferment on a counter away from drafts or direct sunlight for 2-3 days. Unscrew the lid to let the CO2 escape. Taste and if you think it is fermented enough, move it to the fridge if not put the lid back on and ferment a few days longer.
  6. It will last 1-2 weeks before turning into a more alcoholic brew.

Fruit ferment 2

Fermented Eggs, Beetroot and Onions

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Fer. Eggs Finished

 

Nothing beats a group of women gathering around the kitchen bench for a day of fermenting vegetables mixed with lots of laughter and stories. It was a cool winter day and we preceded to wash, chop, slice, press, mashed and stuffed jars all sorts of edibles.

This quick pickled egg and onion and beetroot were pickled in apple cider vinegar which is high in is acetic acid. Like other acids, acetic acid can increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the foods you eat.  We also used beet juice, so that the eggs whites turn a beautiful fuchsia pink. you can see for yourself they really are a show stopper.  The longer you keep the eggs in the pickling liquid, the deeper it penetrates into the eggs.   

  Pickles Eggs, Beetroot and Onions

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2-1 cup water 

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves

• 1/4 tablespoon whole allspice or cardamom

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3-4 medium beets, untrimmed and unpeeled

• 1 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 4-5 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

Fer. Eggs Hard boiled.JPG

Method

Wash the beets and trim the stems, leaving about 1 inch of stem. Place in a pot, cover with water and boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the beets are just tender. Drain, cool, and peel them. Reserve the beetroot juice.

Combine the sugar, vinegar,  beet juice or water, sea salt, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and cool.

Place the onions, beets and hard-boiled eggs in a large jar.

6. Pour the vinegar mixture over the eggs in the jar, covering the eggs completely. Cover tightly with a lid and allow it to cool.

7. Store in the refrigerator 2-4 weeks.   

The pickled eggs will be ready to eat after a few days. The longer the eggs sit in the pickling juice, the more the pickling juice will penetrate the eggs. 

Fermented Dosa

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IMG_4501

 

Dosa is a GF thin fermented pancake similar to a crepe. The fermentation process increases vitamin B and vitamin C and is a popular south Indian snack, breakfast or meal that can be eaten with various fillings such as coconut chutney and dahl.

Ingredients (Organic)

  • 3/4 cup long-grain rice (basmati can be used)
  • ¼ cup brown rice – 1/4 cup (47.5 gm)
  • ½ cup split black lentil or mung beans
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  •  Himalayan salt – As needed

Preparing the Batter

  • Rinse the rice and soak it in a large bowl overnight.
  • Rinse the urad dal (black gram) or other lentils. Soak it along with fenugreek seeds overnight in a separate bowl.
  • Drain out the soaking liquid from the dal and the rice and keep it for further use.
  • Grind the rice, dal, fenugreek seeds, salt altogether or separately for a smoother batter using the soaking liquid preserved earlier to make it a smooth paste.
  • Let this batter kept for another 6-8 hours in a warm place covered with a tight lid. You can leave it overnight. (longer in the cooler weather)
  • The next day or when the batter almost doubles in volume it is now ready to cook. You can store the batter in the fridge for a few days. Just stir it a few times a week.  It will keep fermenting.

    Making the Dosa:

  • Heat a dosa pan or very flat heavy skillet pan and sprinkle a few drops of water on it. If the water drops evaporate within 2 seconds, then the pan is hot enough and ready.
  • Spread a very thin layer of oil over the pan
  • Pour the batter onto the hot pan with oil and spread out the batter in a circular shape.
  • If needed, you can drip a few drops of oil or ghee onto batter dosa or around it.
  • Cook in a medium flame till the bottom side becomes light brown.
  • For a more crispy dosa, you can flip the other side and cook it for another few minutes. Serve with coconut chutney or other fillings.

Miso Eggplant

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Eggplant 1

Miso Eggplant

 3 tablespoons unpasteurized organic rice or barley miso

2-3 tablespoons organic coconut sugar or rice honey

½-3/4 cup stock or water

2 teaspoons grated ginger root

2 clove pressed garlic

3 tablespoons mirin rice wine

1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar

the grated rind of organic orange or lemon rind

1 slice of a large eggplant

oil for deep frying

seasonal lettuce and sesame seeds for garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Make miso sauce. marinade (see below).
3. Slice the eggplant in half, lengthways, then score the flesh in a diagonal pattern, taking
care not to slice through the skin.
4. Brush all over with sesame oil and cook, skin-side down, in a frying pan for 2-3
minutes until the bottoms flatten and the incisions begin to open. Turn over and cook
cut-side down for around 2 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to prepared tray.
5. Spoon miso sauce over the cut sides of the eggplant until it runs into the incisions.
Leftover marinade can be refrigerated.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until tender and shiny.
Scatter with toasted sesame seeds and lettuce if desired.
Sauce

In a small saucepan combine all the ingredients except the vinegar, eggplant, oil, and lettuce.   Cook over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the grated rind.

  1. Taste and adjust. Set aside.

Miso sauce can be kept refrigerated up to 30 days in a glass container.

 

 

 

Vegan Apple Pizza

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Apple Pizza close 2

Vegan, GF

Use Organic Ingredients when available

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup warm filtered water
1 Tablespoon sauerkraut, pickle brine or sourdough starter, miso (optional)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. dried cinnamon, coriander or cardamom
¼ tsp. salt or 1 teaspoon miso

Topping:

1-2 whole apples sliced into thin pieces

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon or other sweet spice

Maple syrup or rice syrup to taste

Pinch of sea salt

Apple tree

 Method

  1. Combine the chickpea flour with warm water in a medium bowl or mason jar, and mix well. Add in tablespoon sauerkraut, brine, sourdough starter or miso if using.
    Cover and allow to sit overnight or for at least 8-24 hours.  Stir if leaving for longer than 8 hours. When a few bubbles are visible it is ready to use.
  2. Cut the apples and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

apples 1

3. Stir in the olive oil, spices and starter (if using).  The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Heat the oven to 450F/220 C. Put a cast-iron skillet (Solid Teknics* is best) or pizza pan in the oven to warm or on a cooktop.

4. Remove the pan, pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into it and swirl. Immediately pour the batter into the pan.

Apples red

5. Bake for 8-10  minutes, or until the base is almost firm and the edges almost set.

6. Toss the apple slices with the spices, place on the top of the pizza base, brush with maple or rice syrup and bake 10 minutes. Serve with coconut yoghurt.

Apple Pizza plate 1

 

 

 

Plant-based Fermented Kimchi

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Vegan, GF, Plant-based

Use Organic vegetables for best results

kim ready 1

Ingredients

    •  1 large Napa (Chinese) cabbage ( 1 kg. )
    • 2% sea or Himalayan salt
    • Spring or filtered water
    • 4 finely minced garlic cloves
    • 1 cup finely chopped onion
    • 2 grated apples
    • 1-2 tablespoons grated ginger
    • 1-2 teaspoons (or more – depending on your taste and tolerance) chilli (you can also use a small fresh red chilli, removing some of the seeds) (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon Shiro or another kind of unpasteurized miso
    • 2 cups finely chopped spring onions
    • 1 cup grated carrot
    • ½ cup thinly sliced daikon or red radish
    • 2 tablespoons wakame or dulse sea vegetable (useful if you should avoid cabbage)

 

 

Method

  • 1. Cut the cabbage lengthways and then into quarters. Remove the inner core. Cut each quarter into thin slices. Weigh the cabbage. Grate the carrots and weigh them. Then calculate the amount of salt according to the weight of the vegetables.
  • 2. Combine the garlic, onion, apple, grated ginger, spring onions, miso and wakame and mix or blend well to make a paste. Add water if necessary. Set aside.
  • 3. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and massage the sea salt in, it should start to soften and feel a little rubbery. Cover with boiled or filtered water, let soak for a few hours.
  • 4. Drain and rinse lightly.
  • 5. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the other vegetables then add the paste and massage in to coat everything.kim kneading 1
  • 6.  Pack the mixture into a sterilised glass jar or crock leaving one inch of space at the top (it may expand as it ferments). Make sure you pack it down tight so that the salty brine oozes over the top of the vegetables.
  • 7.  Take a large cabbage leaf and cover the Kim chi so no vegetables are exposed to the air. Then put a heavy weight on top, cover and set aside for a week in a cold dark place.kim ingredients 1
  •  8. If it is warm, it will ferment faster. You can open up for a taste and smell test as the days or weeks go by till you are happy with the flavour.
  • ( If there is any mould on the top when you open it up, just scrape it off and discard it unless it is green. Then toss it away and start all over again.)
  • Store in the fridge when you think it is ready and the fermentation will slow down.  Will keep for up to 6- 12 months

Sourdough Crepes

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Ferment Crepe

This recipe will make 6-10 sourdough crepes. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can skip that step and leave the batter covered in a warm spot in your kitchen for 2-3 days until it bubbles and tastes sour. The uncooked batter can be stored in the fridge for 5 days before use.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup oat flour
  • ¼ cup sorghum flour (optional)
  • 2 cups unbleached white
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using Miso)
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 cups lukewarm water
  • 4 Tbsp sauerkraut juice or 1 Tbsp miso (this will help the ferment

Method

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Add the water and juice or miso stirring to make a batter.
  3. Cover tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap). If you fail to wrap it tightly it will partially dry and will not work as well.
  4. Place the bowl in the dehydrator and set the temperature to 95 degrees and leave for 12-18 hours. Move the bowl every few hours to mix the ingredients or set aside and stir daily until bubbles appear.
  5. Place a small frying pan or skillet (for which you have a lid) on medium-high heat until it is warm.
  6. Using a measuring cup, pour ½ – ⅔ cup of batter into the centre of the pan. Quickly pick the plan up and move it to distribute the batter. Cover with lid and cook until bubbles appear and turn over and cook a few minutes longer. Repeat.
  7. Fill with your favourite filling-  fruit,  mandarins, apples, pears, dried fruit, coconut yoghurt, or leftover veg, tofu, beans, hummus, and ferments.

FB-crepe-finished-close-up-1-1024x1024

 

 

Lemon Glazed Tempeh

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Melbourne has the best selection of local fermented foods ever. Tempeh is one that I played around with while visiting. Hope you have as much fun as I did. Use whatever is around to enhance this fermented food and increase your friendly microbes to dance around your gut.

Tempeh 4

½ cup fresh lemon juice

The rind of ½ lemon finely grated

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon tamari or Shiro miso

1 1/2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

150 gm. tempeh

2 – 3 tablespoons sesame or coconut oil

½ cup finely chopped spring onions

a handful of coriander leaves

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Combine the juice, rind, ginger tamari, mirin, maple syrup, turmeric and ground pepper in a small bowl or jar. Mix together, taste and adjust if necessary. Set aside.

2. Cut the tempeh in half diagonally, then cut each half again. Pat dry with a paper towel. If very thick, cut in half horizontally as well, but you may need to increase the amount of other ingredients.

Tempeh 1

3. Place the coconut oil (more if you have cut thick tempeh in half), so the base of the pan is well covered, over a medium – high heat. When the oil is hot add the tempeh and fry until golden. Turn the heat down and cook until golden on the other side.

4. Pour the juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced down to a thick glaze.

Tempeh 3

Turn the tempeh over once or twice during this time and spoon the sauce over the tempeh from time to time.

Tempeh 2

5. Sprinkle with spring onions, fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds just before serving or cook along in the sauce.

Tempeh 4

 

Zucchini Cashew Cream Rolls

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Zucchini close rolls

GF, Dairy free, plant-based

Use Organic ingredients whenever possible

1 cup unsalted cashews soaked for 30 minutes in warm water

½ cup almond milk

¼ cup basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons Shiro Miso

1 large egg or Flaxseed egg *

a little leftover cooked veg.(optional)

1-2 cups pasta sauce

1-2 large zucchini or a few slices of Chinese cabbage

 

 

Method

  1. Soak cashews in warm water and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 200 C. Oil a sheet of natural baking paper with oil and set aside.
  3. Slice the zucchini into 3 mm thin slices. Lay zucchini onto an oiled sheet and roast in the oven 10 minutes. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes before moving.
  4. If using cabbage, drop into boiling water for 1 minute and drain and cool.
  5. Meanwhile, drain cashews, and put in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients Blend till lightly cracked.
  6. Spread some of the pasta sauce into an oiled casserole dish.
  7. Lay a strip of zucchini or cabbage and spread about 1-2 tablespoons of the cashew mixture over each individual strip.
  8. Roll up and top with a teaspoon of the pasta sauce.
  9. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until set. Serve topped with any ferment of your choice.
  • To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. Mix together, and set aside for 15 minutes to set up and thicken.

 

zucchini roll ferment

Beatrix’s Blissful Summer Breeze

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Shelley brought her delightful 11-week old daughter Beatrix over for lunch. She had mama’s milk and we had a lovely summer lunch followed by a dessert to honour her delightful presence.

Use Organic ingredients when available

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Served with coconut yoghurt it really hit the spot.

beatrix whole all

1 punnet organic strawberries

4 Tablespoons agar agar flakes

½ cup organic apple juice

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coconut Layer

2 Tablespoons agar agar flakes

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ cup apple juice

2 cups coconut cream

1 tablespoon arrowroot or kudzu

1 tablespoon water

Berry Topping

1 punnet organic blueberries

a few leftover strawberries

1 tablespoon kudzu or arrowroot

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Chopped dates and almonds

Coconut yoghurt (optional)

 

Method

  1. Puree all but 4 strawberries till creamy.
  2. Agar, juice water maple syrup into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower heat till agar has dissolved. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla. Remove from the heat and put into a mold.
  3. Combine agar-agar, maple syrup, juice together. Cook till the agar dissolves. Add the coconut cream.
  4. Dissolve the kudzu in the water and stir into the coconut mixture and cook till thickened.
  5. Cool for a few minutes until both mixtures are the same temperature. Add the coconut mixture slowly to the strawberry layer. Set aside at room temperature or for a quick result refrigerate.

 

6. Put the blueberries and the reserved strawberries in a saucepan and warm. Dissolve the kudzu in the water and maple syrup, add it to the blueberry-strawberry mixture and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.

beatrix slice to[

  1. Serve with the blueberry and strawberry topping,  yoghurt,  dates and almonds,

beatrix slice cocn