Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 9 ~ Idlis

Idlis

History Of Idlis

Idlis originated in southern Indian cuisine over 1,000 years ago. The word Idli comes from two Tamil words "Ittu" and "Avi" (To lay the steam). The first mention of idlis in writing was in 920 A.D.,and it seems to have been created from only black lentils. There is no record of rice being added to the recipe until the 17th century. The addition of rice may have been to help speed up the fermentation process.

Although the ingredients of Idlis have changed over the years, the preparation process and name have remained the same.

Health Benefits of Idlis 

Idlis is a gluten free food made from only rice and lentils. By soaking the ingredients you are predigesting compounds that are difficult for your body to digest. This allows for greater availability of the nutrients from this food. In a single idli, you consume 2 grams of protein, 2 grams of dietary fiber, and 8 grams of carbohydrates. For a light snack this is a notable amount of protein and fiber with minimal carbohydrates. As you know, protein facilitates muscle repair, carbohydrates provide energy and fiber promotes healthy digestion while bulking the stool. Additionally, one idli contains 1 mg of iron as well as trace amounts of calcium, folate, potassium, and vitamin A. The iron is mostly from the lentils, with about 25% of it from the rice. Iron keeps your blood oxygenated and is crucial for any diet. There are not any probiotics left in this food after the steaming process however, idlis
do have a way of making a delicious food more digestible.

How it all works

Idlis are a steamed, naturally leavened cake with a unique, fluffy texture. They are made from a mixture of ground rice and beans, which give them a taste that is mild and savory.  Idlis made from urad dal (white lentil) is the most traditional. No culture is added to this wild ferment. Idlis results from the combination of a warm temperature and the wild yeast form the lentils.  It is the wild yeast and anaerobic bacteria on the urad dal, which aids in the fermentation process.  After the lentils are mixed with water and rice, its pH drops to below 4.5 when left to ferment. It has been shown that anti-nutrients such as phytate and tannins are reduced during the fermentation period, making the nutrients better available. The yeast works its magic over several days, resulting in delicious, fluffy bread.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Indian lentils (Urad daal) or other dried bean
• 2 cups white basmati rice or short grain brown (white has the best results)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 T whey or lemon juice
• warm filtered water
• idli steamer (an egg poacher or muffin tray can also be used)

I purchased my idli steamer here.

Step by Step

Soak:

Wash lentils and rice well and place them in a bowl or jar. Cover them with warm water, add 1 tablespoon whey or lemon juice and leave to soak for two days in a warm place. You can soak them separately or together, but make sure your ratio is 1:2 (bean: grain).

Drain & Grind:

Drain your grains and lentils (don't rinse) and grind them in a food processor using the same water they have been soaking in, but not all of it. Use a minimum amount of the water until it's a smooth, soupy paste.

Blend:

Blend the lentils and rice dough with salt. The salt must be non-iodized, or the batter will not ferment! Pickling salt, kosher salt and unrefined sea salt work well. The dough should be rather firm.

Before blending

After blending

Ferment:

Cover and leave in a warm place to ferment for 2-4 days. You know it's ready when the dough has risen significantly, and the odor has gone from harsh and beany to mild and savory. Fermentation time will depend on the ambient temperature. Grind the mixture again before cooking in order to get it as smooth as possible.

Pre-Ferment

Prepare Your Idlis:

Fill well oiled idli egg poaching cups with balls of rice/lentil mixture, cover and steam until a
knife inserted into them comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. I steamed mine for 20 minutes. Don't touch the lid while cooking! If you don't have an Idli steamer, you can also bake them at 350 F in muffin tins. It's not traditional, but it works.

Before Steaming

After steaming

Progress:

Attempt #1

22.07.2016: Started soaking at 7PM ~ I used whey as my starter
24.07.2016: At 2PM, the mixture seemed over fermented and smelled rotten.  I scraped off the foamy bits and I still couldn't trust the smell of it since I knew I had to ferment it for longer.  I threw out this batch.

Attempt #2

24.07.2016:  Started soaking mixture at 3PM ~ I used why as my starter
26.07.2016:  7PM ~ My mixture is beautiful and smells nutty rather than rotten.  The temperature has been the same.  The only difference was that I measured the whey exactly this time and I approximated it the last time.  I did put more in than I should have and I think that is what caused it to over ferment.

26.07.2016:  Blended mixture to let sit for another ferment

27.07.2016:  Checked the mixture at 6AM.  It had risen quite a bit.

27.07.2016:  Checked the mixture again at 6PM.  I decided to harvest today as I was scared if I left it another night, it may rise out of the bowl.

27.07.2016:  At 6:30 PM, I oiled my idli steamer and filled the cups.

27.07.2016: At 6:50 PM I took the idlis out of the steamer and let cool.

These are traditional served with Dahl.  I found they reminded me of dumplings.  There are so many recipes online so be creative and make a feast out of it.  I am leaving on vacation in the morning so I froze them all.  I will update you all when I decide to make an Idian feast with my Idlis!!!

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 8 ~ Vinegar

Vinegar

History of Vinegar

“Vinegar, son of wine.” Hebrew Proverb

Unpasteurized vinegar has traditionally been considered a healthful tonic. Vinegar translates to “sour wine” from the French, and has existed since people first discovered how to make wine. However, the distilled white vinegar that is now a staple in our grocery stores and pantries is a cheap commodity food, mass produced to be flavourless, and with no benefit for health. Traditional vinegars, made using quality alcohols and live cultures are a healthy living food which provide complex flavours to enhance a meal, and can even be drunk on their own.

Vinegar has been produced for several thousand years. While many other ferments came about because they better preserved the product such as sauerkraut, beer, wine, and cheese, vinegar is in itself a preservative—being credited as the world’s first preservative. It can be used to preserve other perishable items—ones that cannot be fermented on their own.

The kind of vinegar is determined by the starting materials. Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, malt vinegar, and apple cider vinegar for example. Whatever you start with will greatly impact the flavour of the final product. This is why distilled vinegar has no other flavour except the acetic acid. The beginning product is pure distilled alcohol (usually from grains). This is how we get our white vinegar.

Today's focus in Red Wine Vinegar!

Supplies I used!

Supplies:

Your favourite Red Wine

Mother of Vinegar (MOV)

Red Wine Vinegar Pellicle

What is Mother of Vinegar?

Mother of vinegar is a colony of bacteria.  These are the good bacteria called Acetobacter.  They perform the same purpose for making vinegar as yeast does to make wine.  They form the mother on the surface since they require oxygen to convert wine to vinegar and the surface is where the air is at.  

I purchased mine at www.amazon.com

Mother of Vinegar (MOV) from Supreme Vinegar

What is a Vinegar Pellicle?

A Vinegar Pellicle is just a fancy word for Mother or it may even be referred to as a SCOBY.  If you don't have one, you can grow your own with simply using the Red Wine and Mother of Vinegar.  I was given one from a friend so I used it!

Red Wine Vinegar Pellicle

Step by Step:

Red or white wine may be fermented into vinegar using either unpasteurized red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar as a starter culture. Wine containing sulfites may be used, but it must not have been preserved with potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate (see below for additional info on Sulfites). Alcohol levels higher than 7% can inhibit the acetobacter, so when fermenting wine it is necessary to add a little water. Use the ratio of 2 parts  wine to 1 part water and 1 part vinegar. Pour 2 cups of wine, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of unpasteurized vinegar into a jar or crock, making sure that it is no more than half full.

What about wine Sulfites?

A lot of people try to make wine vinegar and fail.  They are frustrated, but don't realize almost all modern commercial wines are made not to become vinegar on purpose.  This is done by adding sulfites, which inhibit the vinegar bacteria.  Typically red wine has 20-40 ppm of sulfites.  there are two ways to get rid of them.

1. Stir the wine continuously for about 30 minutes.  It is a lot of work and not always effective.  This is the option I chose for this blog post. I stirred my wine for an entire hour!!!!               
2. Add hydrogen peroxide.  This is completely harmless.  Just use the regular 3% hydrogen peroxide from any drug store.  Each ml you add and stir in removes 10 ppm if sulfites from a bottle of wine.  A good amount per bottle is 1/2 teaspoon which is 2.5 ml.  This will almost assuredly reduce the sulfites to a manageable level. 

Cover the top with cheesecloth or a thin towel to allow it to breathe.

Voila!  Now its time to wait :)

How long does vinegar take?

It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 weeks or more depending on several factors.  Patience is key, but there are two steps one can take to speed up the process:

1. Air contact area: if you are using a narrow bottle, the mother only has a small surface to form on.  The size of the mother is directly related to the speed of vinegar fermentaion so a wider vessel is better if speed is a concern.
2. Temperature:  The best temperature for vinegar fermentation is 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you can't maintain that, don't stress.  Just try not to get it cold, ie. below 65 degrees.

When is my vinegar done?

There are several ways to determine this.  The most common is to sample the smell and taste until it is to your liking.  Remember, vinegar is pungent and acidic.

More accurately, one can use a pH meter.  These can cost between $25-$75 at a homebrewing store.  Once your pH is below 4, your vinegar is safe and almost all vinegar is finished with a pH less than 3.5.

Progress:

11.08.2016:  Start date
18.08.2016: Week 1 ~ smells like wine ~ temp between 80-85
25.08.2016: Week 2 ~ smells like wine ~ temp between 80-85 ~ tastes acidic
01.09.2016: Week 3 ~ smells like wine ~ temp starting to cool with the fall hitting
08.09.2016: Week 4 ~ smells like wine

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 7 ~ Water Kefir

Water Kefir

Since I don't drink dairy, I decided to focus on the non-dairy option for this module.

What is water kefir?

Water kefir is a bubbly or effervescent drink that is made by culturing sugar in water with kefir grains. Kefir grains are not literally “grains”; rather kefir is a symbiotic blend of beneficial bacteria and yeast that can culture water or milk into bubbly probiotic drinks. Water kefir is a super probiotic beverage containing over 40 strains of beneficial bacteria! Water kefir is a vegan drink that provides probiotics without the need for dairy or tea cultured products, like Kombucha which contain caffeine. Through the fermentation process kefir becomes an excellent source of vitamin B12, and is high in vitamins B1 and B6.

Water Kefir Grains

What are the benefits of drinking water kefir?

• Contains billions of probiotics and is more nutritious in some regards because of the more bio- available and digestible nutrients from the sugars and dried fruits including an increase in vitamin C and many B vitamins. 
• Some studies show kefir may be anti-mutagenic and help manage free radicals in the body. 
• Folic acid (and B vitamins) increases as the length of the ferment increases. Some people let the strained kefir sit on the counter or the fridge another day to increase the folic acid and B vitamin content before drinking (this will increase the acidity too). 
• Has diuretic, blood purifying and regenerative properties. 
• Water Kefir has been indicated in nervous disorders, liver and gall bladder disorders, kidney problems, stomach and intestinal diseases, diarrhea or constipation, anemia, allergies, dermatitis and other skin problems such as eczema. 
• Helps balance blood pressure and reduce cholesterol
• Weight normalization
• Vaginal Yeast Infections and other feminine discomforts 
• Recovery after convalescence 
• Intestinal dysbiosis 

Step by Step

what you’ll need:

• 2-3 TBSP kefir grains 
• ¼ cup unrefined sugar (panella, rhapadura or sucanat) per quart of water

First Fermentation

1. Add ¼ cup unrefined sugar.

2. Cover with enough boiling water to dissolve sugar.

3. Add remaining filtered or spring water (leaving 1 inch of air space between top of the water and the lid) on top.

4. Put 2-3 TBSP of water kefir grains in a quart jar. Water should be at room temperature.

5. Cover with cheese cloth secured by a rubber band. The cheese cloth serves as two functions; to

Primary Ferment in middle

protect your sugar water from fruit flies and the grains need to breathe.

6. Let sit on your counter top for 24 to 48 hours. This depends on the temperature of your home and the amount of grains you may have accumulated.

7. After culturing is complete (water should be mildly fizzy or have bubbles floating around the grains), strain the water kefir grains from finished water kefir.

8. Place water kefir grains into a new batch of sugar water (see steps 1 through 4).

9. The finished water kefir is now ready to consume, flavor or store in the fridge in case of vacation.

Flavouring & Second Fermentation

I bottle my finished kefir in Grolsch Flip-Top Bottles

Finished water kefir is not often enjoyed plain, with no added flavouring. On its own, water kefir may taste a bit flat. However, add a little fruit or other flavouring, bottle the kefir and the finished product is wonderfully refreshing…especially during summer months!.

The first fermentation takes place when the water kefir grains are added to sugar water and cultured for 24-48 hours. The second fermentation takes place after the grains are removed. Fresh water kefir is cultured at room temperature for another period of 24-48 hours with flavouring additions. The tighter the bottle is sealed, the fizzier it gets.

If using fresh fruit, only ferment for 24 hours and strain the fruit before refrigerating. If using dried fruit, you can ferment up to 48 hours and then strain the fruit before refrigerating. Once in the fridge, make sure to “burp” the bottles as some flavouring produces more carbonation than others.

Progress:

I have been doing water kefir for quite some time now so I will give you my daily ritual breakdown.

Day 1:  Start date ~ I use a larger mason jar for my primary ferment
Day 3:  Strain kefir grains in several smaller mason jars for different flavouring options  ~  start secondary fermentation ~ get new batch ready
Day 4:  Bottle finished secondary ferment into bottles so kids know which ones are ready and put into fridge
Day 5: Start over!  This is my own way of knowing where I am at to continue my routine, you can start and develop your own routine depending on how you like your kefir.

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 6 ~ Nut Cheeze....Not Cheese

Nut Cheeze....Not Cheese

Nut cheeze can be made with a variety of nuts; almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts. The flavours are endless. Seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, flax, etc, can also be mixed with the nuts.

Health Benefits

Nut cheeze provides the nutritional benefits of not only the nuts, but also those of the other ingredients you choose (nutritional yeast, probiotics, herbs, etc.). Because the recipe is so adaptable, you have the ability to tweak it and make an already nutritional product into something even more medicinally beneficial. Just as with nuts, though extremely good for you, moderation is key!

The minerals you will obtain from nut cheezes include copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. They also contain B vitamins, particularly vitamin B1 (thiamin). All nuts share the above in common, but you'll also get additional benefits from particular nuts. For example brazil nuts are the highest known source of selenium.  Macadamia nuts have a unique fatty acid profile that gives them antimicrobial properties; therefore protecting us from viruses, pathogenic bacteria, and yeasts in the gut.  You will also benefit from the probiotics in your nut cheeze, which may differ slightly depending on whether you use powder from capsules or kefir to make your ferment. The
addition of nutritional yeast will provide additional B vitamins and the herbs you choose to add will provide their individual benefits as well.  The options are limitless!

Step By Step

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups raw nuts of your choice (almonds, cashews, brazil, macadamia, etc). This will make 2 cups of nut cheeze.
• 1 Cup of water kefir or 1 Cup of water with 2 Capsules of probiotic powder of your choice.

Soak your nuts:

Nuts are best soaked or partially sprouted because they contain enzyme inhibitors that can strain the digestive tract when consumed in excess. Soaking your nuts makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more readily available. To soak your nuts, leave them overnight in salt water. Salt activates enzymes that neutralize enzyme inhibitors. Unlike other nuts, which benefit from an overnight soak, "raw" cashews should be soaked no longer than 6 hrs. Make sure to rinse well and discard the soaking water containing the enzyme inhibitors.  Many people blanch the almonds when making almond nut cheese to assist in taking off the shells. To do this, bring water almost to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the almonds and allow them to soak 35 minutes before you drain and rinse. The peels should slip right off. This makes the final product more similar to the consistency of dairy cheese.

Soaked Almonds

Soaked Brazil Nuts

Mix ingredients:

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender (I love my Vitamix for thicker recipes like this!) and continue to mix until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary to form a smooth, creamy texture.

Strain & Ferment:

Pour the mixture into a nut bag or cheese cloth lined strainer.  Allow to strain for 18-48 hours. You can hang the nut bag over a bowl or place it in a colander with a weight on top.  This will apply pressure and push out the excess liquid to save time. The longer it sits the more tart your nut cheeze will be, so feel free to give it a little taste along the way to suit your pallet. I like to let it sit for a couple of days.

Prepare your Nut Cheeze

After the fermentation process, remove your cheeze from the nut bag or cheesecloth. Now you can get creative with adding additional ingredients. I like to start with a base of lemon and salt every time and go from there. Check out some ideas below, but feel free to make adjustments if you feel called to. This is the fun part!

I used a muffin mould.

Basic Flavoring Ideas (for 2 Cups of nuts)

• 1 teaspoon lemon
• 1/4 to 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoon of nutritional yeast or miso (these helps give it a "cheesy" profile.)
• A pinch fresh nutmeg is excellent too!

Refrigerate the nut cheeze until ready to use. Season further or sweeten your cheese as desired
before serving.

Fennel, Parsley, Paprika & Cumin prior to dehydrating

Developing a Rind On Your Nut Cheeze (make a harder cheese) ~ not that this is optiontion
Put the cheeze in a nut milk bag lined mold. Refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours so the cheeze can
set. Then dehydrate at 105 degrees on a ParaFlexx tray for an additional 24 to 36 hours. I use an Excalibur Dehydrator.

Dehydrated vs Fresh Nut Cheeze

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator; nut cheeze will last for up to two weeks.

Progress:

03.07.2016:  Start date ~ Started soaking my almonds
04.07.2016:  Prepared almonds to strain & ferment (used water kefir for the almonds)  ~ Started soaking the Brazil nuts (Note that I tried to dehull the almonds after soaking them overnight and they weren't coming off.  I left them to soak another 8 hours and still they wouldn't come off.  I didn't want to but I had to blanch them and then the hulls slipped right off.) ~ any pointers would be welcome!
05.07.2016:  Prepared Brazil Nuts to strain & ferment (used probiotic powder for the Brazil nuts)
06/07/2016:  Flavoured almond cheeze, put them into moulds & into the fridge to set
07/07/2016:  Flavoured Brazil nut cheese, put them into moulds & into the fridge to set
08/07/2016:  Dehydrated one of each to see the differences.
09/07/2016:  I personally liked the taste of using probiotic powder as opposed to water kefir.  The water kefir seemed more vinegary to me. I also liked the creamy texture of the non-dehydrated cheeze as it was more spreadable.  I found the dehydrated cheeze crumbled.  I think I would have to get a spray bottle and continue to spray to make the rind a little better next time!  I wish they had these science experiments in school!  The funnest part is tasting the outcome :)

Update:  I had the pleaure of serving my cheezes at a party.  I think everyone liked the spread-ability of the softer cheeze!  They liked the taste of both almond and Brazil options equally.

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 5 ~ Injera

Injera

Doesn't look perfect but tastes perfect!

History:

Teff, the principal grain used in injera was almost lost to the world. It was grown exclusively in Ethiopia for thousands of years, where farmers did not trade their grain with the rest of Africa largely because it was labor intensive to grow. In the 70s the socialist military government insisted that the farmers grow less labour intensive crops to participate in trade and make more money for their state. At this point an American from Idaho, Wayne Carlson, who was fascinated by the growing practices and a big fan of Ethiopian food, brought seeds back home where teff is now grown and sold to local Ethiopian communities.

Today, teff flour is fairly easy to find. Teff is the tiniest grain in the world. It takes 150 teff grains to equal the weight of a single wheat grain!

Health Benefits:

Teff is one of the gluten free grains, along with amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa.  Teff is packed high with protein, calcium, and iron. In fact, one cup of cooked teff contains as much as the USDA recommends for adults in one day. It’s nutritionally rich because most of the grain is made up of bran and germ, where the nutrients live. The whole grain is made into flour. It takes 150 teff grains to equal the weight of a single wheat grain.

Teff is fermented into injera to increase assimilation. Injera falls into the fermented foods category to increase assimilation. Injera is not fermented for probiotics or for preservation but it makes the grain more nutritious.

Injera at Ethiopian restaurants located in the U.S. is often cut with wheat flour to reduce overall costs. This is because teff is expensive compared to wheat (which is subsidized in the U.S. to reduce the cost to customers). If you are gluten free you should call ahead when ordering injera at an Ethiopian restaurant and request 100% teff injera. Not all restaurants will accommodate this request.

Step by Step:

Gluten Free Teff

• 1 1/2 Cups water, at room temperature
• 1 Cup teff flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Coconut oil for cooking

Combine:

Combine the teff and water in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. It will have the consistency
of a thin pancake batter.

Teff Flour mixed with Water

Ferment:

Loosely cover the bowl with a lid/cloth and ferment for two days on the counter or someplace that is about 70 degrees. You should see some rising in about four hours.  Allow to sit undisturbed for 2-3
days then add salt and baking soda and stir.

The mixture will have a yeasty/sour smell. You will also notice small bubbles on the surface now. The baking soda mixes with the acids produced during fermentation. It will help make it less sour. If you like your injera less sour add more baking soda, if you like it more sour, use less baking soda. Stir your mixture.

Cook your Injera

Heat a small cast iron pan over medium heat (you’ll also need a tight-fitting lid). Add about 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil. Let it melt to medium heat. Pour about 1/2 Cup of batter in the center of the skillet. Tilt and swirl the skillet immediately to coat evenly.

Let the bread cook for about 1 minute, just until holes start to form on the surface. Cover the skillet with the lid to steam the injera.  Cook for about 3 minutes, just until the edges pull away from the sides and the top is set.

Add batter to cast iron frying pan

Cover

Let stand

The first 12 injera's might be a slight disaster because of the excess oil— Don't worry. The
rest of them will get better as you practice!

There is also an injera cooker that you can purchase online. There are many different kinds
and they create a more traditional injera without oil. They cook beautifully and easily with
this grill.  I found a great video demonstrating how to cook injera on a cooker!

US & Canada:  Electric Mogogo Grill
US & Canada:  Electric Mitad Grill  (This company used to have a Canadian version and I no longer see it.  I will update this post once they get back to me on this!)

Progress:

24.06.2016:  Start date ~ started soaking Teff at 9PM
26.06.2016:  Started cooking Injera at 9AM on a gas stove top ~  Success as my 20 month old loved them!  I made served them typical pancake style to get the kids used to it.  Note that I didn't need to use any oil with my well seasoned cast iron frying pan.

11.07.2016:  Update:  I tried injera once again at my mother-in-law's home and she has a flat cook top.  I brought my own cast iron pan and I wasn't able to cook the injera without it sticking with/without oil.  My experiment was a flop this time :(  I think it has to do with the heat that the gas stove top gives.

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 4 ~ Dairy & Non-Dairy Yogurt

Yogurt - Dairy & Vegan

One of the oldest and still most popular fermented foods, yogurt is known around the world. The word yogurt comes from Turkey and refers to a tart, thick milk. Yogurt can be found in nearly every culture that kept animals for milk. It was likely discovered in similar ways in each region. When fresh milk is left in a container with friendly bacteria, the milk thickens and develops a delicious sour taste. The lactic acid produced by the fermentation also acts as a preservative.

Yogurt is teeming with bacteria. The bacteria work together to metabolize the milk sugar, or lactose, to form lactic acid, among other chemicals. After fermentation, which can take three or four hours, the mixture will no longer resemble the milk you started with. It will be thicker and creamier.

Bacteria required for fermentation in yogurt are called Lactobacillus (that's the genus) bulgaricus (that's the species) and Streptococcus thermophilus . Store bought yogurt may also have added Lactobacillus acidophilus. Lactobacilli are present in our intestines naturally as long as a healthful lifestyle and little to no antibiotics have been taken. Adding them to yogurt before we eat it helps replenish our supply.

Supplies

Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker

There are so many methods you can use to make yogurt.  You can use a bowl on the counter, a bowl in the oven with a pilot light on or even a slow cooker.  Because I am so busy and need things to be simple, I purchase a Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker on Amazon.  I absolutely love it as it is easy for me. Euro Cuisine has a great video so I will post it below to give you the steps needed.

STEP BY STEP

The first thing you will need is Milk of any kind!  You may use raw milk, pasteurized milk,  coconut milk or any nut milks.

Courtesy of Summer Bock - Fermentation Certification Program

Dairy Yogurt

I used whole milk from our local Dairy Farmer in Thunder Bay - Slate River Dairy.  As my starter, I used their yogurt as well.  Their yogurt is not a thick and creamy style of yogurt and therefore you cannot expect yours to be either.  My favourite starter is a Greek Yogurt from Krema...the kids favourite brand!

I brought the milk to 110 degrees and then let it cool before adding the yogurt.

Then I poured the milk into the cute little cups, turned on the Euro Cuisine and the next morning I put them into the fridge to firm up.

Vegan Yogurt

Below is the basic nut milk recipe:

1 Cup raw almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, or cashews

Optional:
4 teaspoons honey or a few drops of stevia
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1. Place nuts in a large bowl and add water to cover by 2 inches.
2. Let stand at least 12 hours (this is key for silky, non gritty results; the longer the nuts soak, the smoother the milk will be).
3. Note: exception for cashews, which should never be soaked for longer than 6 hrs.
4. Drain nuts; discard soaking liquid.
5. Purée nuts, agave, salt, and 4 cups very hot water (but not boiling; hot water yields creamier milk) in a blender on high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
6. Strain through a finemesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing down on solids.
7. Discard nut pulp. Thin nut milk with water as necessary to reach desired consistency. 
8. Now you’re ready to make some yogurt! (Transfer to airtight container and chill until cold if not using right away.)
9. Refer to chart above for further instructions.  

Coconut Yogurt

I had some time and didn't have my nuts soaked so I decided to try some coconut yogurt.  I had two cans of organic coconut milk in the cupboard so I brought this up to 110 degrees and then added 1 tablespoon of Vital Proteins Gelatin and once cooled down, I added the starter culture from Cultures For Health.  I was just messing around without really using any instructions at all and it worked out perfectly!

You may buy starter cultures through www.culturesforhealth.com.  You may find the Vegan Yogurt instructions here.

My yogurt was a little thick but I absolutely loved it!  I may try without the gelatin next time for an experiment however I truly like to add gelatin to everything I can for healing purposes.

I have to say that I love my little cups.  I take them to work for a snack each day!  If you do order a Euro Cuisine, buy an extra set of cups so you can constantly have the yogurt maker on!  We need it as the kids love yogurt...

Progress:

Dairy Yogurt

18.06.2016:  Start date ~ started yogurt maker at 7PM
19.06.2016:  Considered harvesting today but decided to leave it longer so the bacteria would digest most of the lactose.
20.06.2016:  Harvested at 7AM and put into the fridge for the day.  I found it still too runny.

Coconut Yogurt

25.06.2016:  Start date ~ started yogurt maker at 5:30 PM
26.06.2016:  Harvested at 1PM.  It had separated which is normal for vegan style yogurts so I stirred them all before putting them into the fridge.  They came out very thick but that is what I loved about it!
Update:  I tried another batch of coconut yogurt without any gelatin and found it too runny even after I took it out of the fridge.  I will have to start experimenting with my gelatin to get the exact quantity needed for a true yogurt consistency. I would also like to experiment with vegan options as well (agar agar powder or arrowroot powder).

Fermentationist Certification: Ferment 3 ~ Miso

MISO

Miso is a Japanese form of fermented bean paste.  It is made by mashing well-cooked beans with koji (grain grown with the mold Aspergillus oryzae), salt and often mature miso (also known as seed miso).  Miso is one of the few fermentation processes that is purely a fungus.

White Miso made with soy beans & both Barley & Rice Koji

The benefits of eating Miso are plenty so I will only list a few!

• Inexpensive source of protein, probiotics, and minerals
• Longevity: a bowl a day keeps the doctor away
• Amino acid profile similar to meat
• Contains vitamin B12
• Alkalineforming
• (makes the body more alkaline)
• Prevents radiation sickness
• Helps detox heavy metals
• Cancer protective
• Neutralizes environmental toxins
• High in enzymes
• Low in phytates
• Improved digestibility

KOJI

Koji is the inoculant that is used to start the process of fermentation derived from the Chinese word meaning “moldy grain.” Koji is rice infused with the mold (all molds except slime and water molds are a type of fungus), Aspergillus oryzae . It provides all the enzymes necessary to break down substrates into metabolizable products.  

If you want to make your own koji, you can learn this in the Art of Fermentation authored by Sandor Katz.  

I purchased my Koji through Cultures for Health, www.culturesforhealth.com : Search for either Organic Brown Rice Koji (gluten free) or Traditional Barley Koji (depending on your preference).  I purchased both as I wanted to experiment with the taste of each.

Organic Rice Koji & Traditional Barley Koji

THE MISO SONG

You cannot make Miso at home without listen to The Miso Song! 

 "Sing and dance along to making miso at home! The hand drawn animation is a play along song video with a charming melody and cute characters. you can enjoy your very own “musical workshop for homemade miso”. Experience the “homemade miso” culture that is traditionally inherited throughout the regions of Japan. Taste the deep, rich culture of fermentation and discover the joy of making your own homemade."

STEP BY STEP

Although Soy is the traditional bean, some people don’t want to eat or cannot eat soybeans. Using the red miso recipe, you can replace the soybeans with any other kind of bean. Black beans, mung, adzuki, pinto, you name it.  You can use this same general procedure with a different bean to
make any kind of miso you desire.

WHITE MISO

(to make 1.75 Cups)

1/2 Cup dry soybeans
1 Cup dried koji (notice that you have more koji in white miso)
3.33 Tablespoon sea or kosher salt (noniodized)
1 Cup mixing liquid (see instructions below)
Fermenting vessel or ceramic, glass, wooden, or food grade stainless steel crock

Spouted Soy Beans

1. Soak beans overnight. Beans are best soaked because they contain enzyme inhibitors that can strain the digestive tract when consumed in excess. Soaking makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more readily available. To soak beans leave them overnight in salt water. Salt activates enzymes that neutralize enzyme inhibitors. Discard this liquid and rinse the beans before starting the next step. This is not a traditional method but I let mine sprout!
2. Cook using a pressure cooker (~20 minutes) or in a pot until soft.
3. Drain the beans, but save the liquid.
4. Make a brine using 1/2 Cup of this liquid, dissolve half the salt into it.
5. While waiting for the liquid to cool, mash the beans into a smooth paste.
6. When brine is below 105 degrees, mix into the koji. You don’t have to take the temperature because 105 degrees feels hot to the touch. If it is warm to the touch it is below 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Add the mashed beans and stir well. Create a consistency of a paste by adding as much mixing liquid as needed.
8. “Grease” the sides of the miso crock with a tablespoon of sea salt.
9. Sprinkle about 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt onto the bottom of the crock and around the sides. Add the miso to the crock taking care to smash it in fully to the crock so that no air bubbles remain.
10. Sprinkle remaining salt on top of the miso and cover with seaweed, wax paper, etc.
11. Place a plate on top of the miso itself and put a weight on top of that.
12. Cover the miso with a cloth bag to keep the flies out. It will be sitting for 68 weeks optimally if you live in a cooler climate (most recipes suggest 46 weeks. 

    

    Experimenting with both Rice & Barley Koji

13. Remember to label your miso with the date as you WILL forget!
14. When ready to harvest, scrape off the top yucky layer and behold the glorious deliciousness!
15. Blend it in a food processor with a little water because the koji grains will still be hard from having fermented for a short period of time. This creates a smooth paste that is easy for mixing into soup.
16. Store it in the fridge in a glass container with a cork or plastic lid. You may also use plastic containers with a plastic lid. This is how most miso is sold in the store, but is my least preferred way of storing it because of the possible leaching of chemicals from the plastic. Make sure to place a piece of wax paper directly on top of the miso then put the lid on. Try to keep the top as level as possible. This will make your product last longer. For storage, don’t use metal lids.

RED MISO

(to make 2.25 Cups)

1 Cup dry black beans

1 Cup dried koji

4 Tablespoon salt

1 Cup mixing liquid

1 Tablespoon (15 grams) seed miso (live unpasteurized miso starter)

Fermenting vessel or ceramic, glass, wooden or food grade stainless steel crock

Mashed Black Beans

1. Soak soybeans overnight. Beans are best soaked because they contain enzyme inhibitors that can strain the digestive tract when consumed in excess. Soaking makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more readily available. To soak beans leave them overnight in salt water. Salt activates enzymes that neutralize enzyme inhibitors.  Discard this liquid and rinse the beans before starting the next step.
2. Cook using a pressure cooker (~20 minutes) or in a pot until soft.
3. Drain the beans, but save the liquid. 
4. Make a brine using 1/2 Cup of this liquid, dissolve half the salt into it. 
5. While waiting for the liquid to cool, mash the beans into a smooth paste. 

   

   Boiling Liquid mixed with koji

6. When brine is below 105 degrees, mix in seed miso. Then mix into the koji (I used barley koji only for this experiment). You don’t have to take the temperature because 105 degrees feels hot to the touch. If it is warm to the touch it is below 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Add the mashed beans and stir well. Create a consistency of regular miso by adding as much mixing liquid as needed. “Grease” the sides of the miso crock with a bit of sea salt.
8. Sprinkle about 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt onto the bottom and sides of the crock. Add the miso to the crock taking care to smash it in fully to the crock so that no air bubbles remain.
9. Sprinkle salt on top of the miso and cover with seaweed, wax paper, etc. Place a plate on top of the miso itself and put a weight on top of that.

   

   All Ingredients Combined

10. Cover the miso with a cloth bag to keep the flies out. It will be sitting for months (or years if you want.) It is traditionally made in the spring and harvested in the fall.
11. Label and date or you will forget what it is!!! Write on the label when it will be ready (6 months after you make it.) Put harvest date in your calendar if you want. When ready to harvest, scrape off the top yucky layer and behold the glorious deliciousness below!
12. The very bottom layer may be very salty. Remember all that salt you coated the bottom with? This can be mixed into the miso when it’s done or discard. It’s up to you.
13. Store it in the fridge in a glass container with a cork or plastic lid.

    

    I used a pickle pebble in this vessel

    
    You may also use plastic containers with a plastic lid. This is how most miso is sold in the store, but is my least preferred way of storing it because of the possible leaching of chemicals from the plastic. Make sure to place a piece of wax paper directly on top of the miso then put the lid on. Try to keep the top as level as possible. This will make your product last longer. For storage, don’t use metal lids.

Red Miso ready to start the fermenting process!

Interesting Facts:

• The saltiness mellows out over time. By using more koji and less salt, the resulting miso is sweeter from all the carbohydrates in the rice being digested into simple sugars by the yeasts and bacteria. Miso fermentation is best in a place where it doesn’t get too hot or too cold like a root cellar or house with a stable temperature.
• The rice Koji is added as an activator to the soybeans. Sometimes lactic acid bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are added as well. These come from the 'seed miso,' which is a spoonful of miso that has already matured and aged for a minimum of 6 months.  Probiotics are only found in miso that has been fermented for 6 months or longer. This means that red and brown miso is more likely to contain probiotics, but sweet white miso has little to none.

Progress:

White Miso ~ I used organic soy beans however I used barley koji in two jars and brown rice koji in two jars and will harvest each at 1.5 & 3 months to taste the difference!

• 16.06.2016:  Start date 
• 12.09.2016:  Harvested sample #1 (barley vs. brown rice koji) at just under 3 months.  I found that the brown rice miso smelled appealing and the barley miso smelled like beer.  I made my first miso soup!  
• 
  

  

  Miso Soup

• 16.12.2016:  6 month anticipated harvest date for Sample #2 (barley vs. brown rice koji)

Red Miso ~ I used organic black beans for the entire batch and barley koji only.  It made 5 jars so I am experimenting with consistency vs flavours over time in this experiment.

• 05.07.2016:  Start date
• 01.01.2017:  6 month anticipated harvest date
• 01.07.2018:  1 year anticipated harvest date
• 01.07.2019:  2 year anticipated harvest date
• 01.07.2020:  3 year anticipated harvest date
• 01.07.2021:  4 year anticipated harvest date