fermented food

Learn how to make a bubbling sourdough starter using white bread flour and water. After feeding the starter for five days, you can use it to make a sourdough loaf

Sourdough starter

strong white bread flour

Day 1: To begin your starter, mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water in a jar or, better still, a plastic container. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for 24 hrs.

Day 2: Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday’s mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.

Day 3: Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday’s mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.

Day 4: You should start to see some activity in the mixture now; there should be some bubbles forming and bubbling on top. Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday’s mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.

Day 5: The mixture should be very active now and ready for making your levain (starter). If it’s not bubbling, continue to feed it on a daily basis until it does. When it’s ready, it should smell like yogurt.

You now have a starter, which is the base to the bread. You’ll need to look after it, but naming is optional! Keep it in the fridge (it will stay dormant) and 24 hrs before you want to use it, pour half of it off and feed it with 100g flour and 100g water. Leave it at room temperature and it should become active again. The longer the starter has been dormant, the more times it will need to be refreshed – the process of pouring off half the starter and replacing it with new flour and water – to reactivate. If your starter is ready to use, a teaspoonful of the mixture should float in warm water. The starter can now be used to make white sourdough bread.

Fermented Hot Sauce

spicy peppers (thinly slice)

water

g salt

carrots

onions

garlic (or

(use

red wine vinegar (to taste)

salt (I use the brine from the peppers) (to taste)

honey (to taste)

Clean and sanitize your gallon size fermenting jar, lid, and air lock with a sanitizing solution

With gloves on, remove the stems from your pepper pods and gently dink in some cool water.  You don&#39;t need to wash the pepper.  You are simply trying to remove superficial dirt off the pods.

In a well ventilated area thinly slice your peppers and place them in your fermentation crock.  Cover the peppers with cabbage leaves to form a top covering, then place a weight on top of the cabbage leaves.  This will keep all of the peppers below the brine during fermentation.

IF YOU ARE ADDING ANY OF THE ABOVE MENTIONE VEGETABLES ADD THEM AT THIS STAGE.  (Make sure they are sliced as well)

Pour the cool 2.5% brine solution over the peppers till the water level is 1 inch over your weights.

Cover and place the air lock in the lid.  Place the jar in a cool area (55f -75f or 13c - 29c) and let ferment for at least 4 weeks or in my case 2 years.

Once your peppers have finished fermenting strain out the brine and place the fermented pepper mash in a blender.

Blend till smooth while slowly drizzling 1/2 cup of Red wine vinegar and 1/2 cups of the fermenting brine.  This will help thin out the sauce to get it to the desired consistency.  If you plan on adding xanthan gum only add a little bit at a time while the sauce is blending.  The appropriate ratio is 1/2 tsp per 4 cups of sauce.  This will help stabilize the sauce and keep it from separating.  If you don&#39;t add it, that&#39;s ok too.  You&#39;ll just have to shape up the bottle prior to using.

If you want to cut the heat a little you can add honey or sugar.

Once you are happy with your sauce you can pasteurize it by heating it to 180f (82.2c) for 10 minutes.  Place the hot sauce in sterilized bottles and store in your pantry or in your refrigerator.

Making the hot sauce

Hello everybody! I know some of you have been waiting for my doenjang and ganjang recipes for a long time! Today I feel a real sense of achievement to release this recipe here. It&#039;s one of the recipes in my cookbook, and whether you have my book or not, this video and recipe should still be...

Fermented soybean paste (Doenjang)

salt

honey

Hi Maanchi, What will happen if I soak my Meju blocks longer than 2-3 months? Will that be damaging? Also&hellip;

Comment by Shanook on September 19, 2021

Hi Maanchi, I am following your Doenjang recipe, which is absolutely great! I have followed all the steps and I&hellip;

Comment by Shanook on August 3, 2021

I&#039;m really sorry, I wrote chestnut but I was going to write chickpea and I noticed it now.

Comment by use gram metre celcius please US on October 11, 2021

Hi! I decided to make doenjang (not now there are so many flies) but soybeans aren&#039;t used much in home&hellip;

Comment by use gram metre celcius please US on July 8, 2021

Comment by georgelorane on May 10, 2021

This is my first time making doenjang and I&#039;m at the initial hanging of the meju, before putting the blocks&hellip;

I think you are a master of doenjang making! You&#039;re even replying to some of my other readers&#039; questions. I&hellip;

Comment by Maangchi on April 1, 2021

Maangchi, The second year I am making doenjang and the hanging meju smell much stronger. Very yummy, but too strong&hellip;

Comment by Inches on March 26, 2021

my meju fell apart as they dried. Can I wrap them in cheesecloth and continue all the drying?

Comment by JoeMroz on April 1, 2021

I have tried a few of your recipes; all delicious! I followed this one exactly (except I didn&#039;t have a&hellip;

Comment by JoeMroz on March 21, 2021

It just needs to be dry all the way through and fermented well enough. Smaller meju will probably dry faster&hellip;

Comment by Inches on March 14, 2021

Hi Maangchi, If I make a smaller Meju block do I still need need the same amount of time to&hellip;

Comment by Pickle on March 7, 2021

Oh, you must be so frustrated, I&#039;m sorry to read this. Koreans usually make and ferment meju blocks during the&hellip;

Comment by Maangchi on February 20, 2021

I&#039;ve tried to make it twice and both times flies lay eggs in my meju. ㅠㅠ The first time in&hellip;

Comment by DanielleD on February 15, 2021

Flys and fleas can easily make it through cheesecloth, especially if it touches the block, then even a big one&hellip;

Hello! My meju has been hanging for one week and has lots of white and green fungi growing. But I&hellip;

Comment by DanielleD on November 15, 2020

Some might have flavoring but you&#039;ll probably see a picture of the flavor on it, like an anchovy or garlic&hellip;

Comment by Inches on March 15, 2021

Hi Maangchi. I am from India and am a vegetarian. After seeing your videos i got interested in Korean food.&hellip;

Comment by Renu on October 28, 2020

Yes, it looks good! It&#039;s ok flowers. : ) Just remove the white mold. How did you like the taste&hellip;

Comment by Maangchi on September 24, 2020

Hi! I&rsquo;ve been working my way through the process and am fermenting. White mold is growing but I&rsquo;m not sure&hellip;

Comment by ErinE on July 30, 2020

Sorry, I don&rsquo;t know why my photo is upside down. Should I remove the white &ldquo;scum&rdquo; or leave it be?

Comment by Nerimaro on July 27, 2020

Hello Maangchi! I was so excited to see your Dwenjang making recipe and followed it. All seemed well until the&hellip;

Sorry here&#039;s the extra photo of the orange spots (see previous message)

Comment by Moon on June 20, 2020

How did they turn out? If the blocks touch the bags, then insects can still touch them too. Needs some&hellip;

Hello Maangchi! I&#039;m from the Netherlands and loving your recipes! I&#039;ve made meju blocks but they smell very strong, they&hellip;

Did you use black soybeans? If you are in Indonesia you should use the same as they use for white&hellip;

I ferment my meju block, lot of white, yellow, and pink mold. But it definitely smells earthy. Is it okay?

Comment by semuttmadu on May 16, 2020

Make meju blocks from soybeans

Drain the beans and put them in a large heavy pot. Add water that is three times as deep as the beans, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 1 hour. Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking until the beans are soft enough mash easily, 4½ to 5 hours, checking to make sure the beans remain covered with water, and replenishing as necessary. Drain the beans in a colander. Mash the drained beans to a paste in batches with a large mortar and pestle or in a food processor. Don't finely grind them, leave some beans half-crushed. Divide the mashed beans into 3 portions. Knead each portion with both hands and shape into a firm rectangular block measuring 6 x 3 x 4 inches.

Ferment the meju

Traditionally Koreans dry meju on the heated ondol floors of their homes, and if you live in Korea or have that kind of heating in your house, you can do that too. But in my NYC apartment I simulate ondol by putting an electric blanket on the floor. Line the blanket with a clean cotton cloth or waxed paper and set the blocks on top, or put them in an open basket. Set the heat to low. Dry the blocks, rotating them occasionally, until they are solid enough to hang, 3 to 4 days. Tie each block up in cotton twine and hang them. You can hang them outside but be sure to keep them covered and out of the rain, and if it's too hot out they may rot. Inside, you can hang them from the ceiling with hooks. Wherever they hang, the spot should be cool and well-ventilated and all sides of the blocks should be exposed to air and not touching each other. Let the blocks hang for 6 weeks, until they are well dried out and smell a little pungent when you get your nose close to them. Now it’s time to ferment the bean blocks. Place a layer of dried rice straw or hay in the bottom of a cardboard box that’s just big enough to hold the blocks with a little space between them; the straw will insulate the blocks and attract good bacteria like Bacillus subtilis in the air. (Don’t worry if you can’t find straw or hay; the blocks will still attract good bacteria.) Cover the box and put it on the electric blanket. Set the heat to low and let the bean blocks ferment for 2 weeks. At this point, the well-fermented bean blocks will smell a little earthy and pungent and will be covered with white, brownish-yellow, or sometimes greenish fungi. (These fungi change the bean proteins to peptides and amino acids, which will give the bean paste its delicious nutty flavor.) Tie the fermented bean blocks up in cotton twine and hang from the ceiling, as before, for 1 month.

Soak the meju in brine

Wash the blocks in cold water and to remove the fungi. Place the blocks in a shallow basket or on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and let them dry in the sunlight for 1 day, turning them until every side of each block is dried. Combine the 3½ gallons water (56 cups) and 5 quarts of the kosher salt (20 cups) in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until the salt is thoroughly dissolved. Set out a 4- to 5-gallon earthenware crock. Put 2 pieces of the charcoal on a gas burner; turn on the flame, and heat until they are glowing red. (If you don’t have a gas burner, use the broiler: Put the charcoal pieces under the broiler and turn it on; remove the charcoal when it is red.) Use tongs to transfer the charcoal to the earthenware crock. Drizzle the honey over the burning charcoal. Cover the crock and wait for 5 minutes. Remove the lid. You will see lots of smoke and smell a good caramel aroma. This process sterilizes the inside of the crock and will give the sauce good flavor. Remove the charcoal and wipe the inside of the crock with paper towels. Add the bean blocks and salted water to the crock. Add the remaining piece of charcoal, the jujubes, and dried hot peppers; they will float on the surface of the water. (The charcoal will attract and absorb any dust. The jujubes add sweetness and the dried red peppers help prevent the blocks from going bad.) Cover the crock with flour sacking or cheesecloth and put on the lid. Let the blocks soak in the salty water until well fermented, 2 to 3 months. On clear days remove the lid and let the crock sit in the sunlight. Close it at night and be sure to keep the crock covered with the cloth so bugs and dust can’t get in. As time passes, the salty water will turn brown and smell like deeply fermented soy sauce.

Separate the doenjang from the soy sauce

Discard the charcoal, jujubes, and peppers. Transfer the soaked bean blocks to a large bowl. The blocks may have broken up during the soak, so use a bowl to scoop the soy sauce out of the crock and into a strainer set over another large bowl. Add any pieces of bean block to the bean block bowl. Save the soy sauce for making Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang) later. Mix the doenjang with both hands, breaking it up into a paste, and transfer it to a 5-quart earthenware crock. Pack it down and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup kosher salt. Cover with the cotton cloth, secure it with a rubber band, and put on the lid. Put the doenjang crock in a sunny spot for its final fermentation. About twice a week on sunny days, remove the lid and let the sunlight shine into the crock through the cotton cloth. When it’s well fermented, the doenjang will smell sweet and taste salty and earthy, with a deep flavor. This will take 5 to 6 months. If it ever looks a little too dry on top, pour some of the separated soy sauce on top to make it moist again. You don't need to stir it in.

Serving and storage

Store the doenjang in the crock outside the house or at room temperature. Whenever you take some out, press the rest down with a spoon to keep out the air. Once in a while, take the lid off, cover with a cotton cloth, and let the sun hit it again.

Add a spicy, sour tang to a cheese toastie with kimchi. The Korean fermented cabbage is a favourite ingredient of ours – it’s especially good in this toastie

Kimchi double-cheese toasties

mature cheddar, grated

emmental

spring onions, trimmed and sliced

mayonnaise

white sourdough

kimchi, drained

tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Combine the cheddar with the emmental or mozzarella and the spring onions in a small bowl.

Spread the mayonaise over one side of each slice of sourdough. Pile the cheese mixture over the plain sides of the bread, then spoon over the kimchi. Sandwich the slices together so the mayo-coated sides are on the outside, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Arrange the toasties in the hot pan and weigh them down with another heavy pan. Cook for 4-6 mins, then turn over and cook for 5 mins more. Cut in half to serve. Twist it BLUE CHEESE Swap the grated cheddar for a blue-veined stilton or cambozola for a punchier flavour. LEFTOVER KIMCHI Use any leftover kimchi in a rice- or noodle-based stir-fry made with pak choi, then serve with a fried egg on top. It also makes a fantastic dip – just blitz in a food processor with some soured cream and soft cheese until smooth.

Make a vegan version of kimchi (or kimchee) from this simple Korean recipe. Enjoy the umami flavours of the seaweed, whether you follow a plant-based diet or not

Kimchi

Chinese leaf (2kg prepared weight)

sea salt (3% of the cabbage weight)

tbsp seaweed (I use wakame), lightly rinsed

carrot

leek

spring onions

onion, chopped

garlic (10 cloves), peeled

ginger, chopped

pear,

Korean chilli flakes (use less if you prefer it milder)

2-litre sterilised jar

Chop the Chinese leaf into bite-size pieces, weighing it until you have 2kg, then wash under running water. Mix the Chinese leaf with the salt and the seaweed in a large bowl. Set aside.

Every now and then, over the course of 3-4 hrs, mix the salted Chinese leaf and seaweed with your hands. (You will start to see liquid being released.) You want to be able to bend the Chinese leaf without breaking the pieces.

Meanwhile, shred the carrot and leek, and chop the spring onions. Set aside. Make the chilli paste by blitzing the onion, garlic, ginger and pear in a food processor until puréed. Add the chilli flakes, then blitz again to combine. Drain the Chinese leaf mixture, removing as much water as you can. This may take about 10 mins.

Toss the Chinese leaf mixture with the other vegetables, then mix in the chilli paste to coat everything. Tip into a 2-litre sterilised jar. Try not to have too many air pockets and leave a 1-inch space under the lid. Put a fermentation weight on top, or if you don’t have one, try using some baking beans in a bag. Keep a plate under the jar in case of overflow. After 24-48 hrs you will begin to see bubbles appearing. That means fermentation is underway.

At any point during the fermentation, you can taste the kimchi to see how you like the flavour. I prefer to keep mine in the fridge after day 3 to slow down the process and start enjoying it. You can transfer the kimchi into smaller jars for easy access from the fridge. It also makes a great present for family and friends.

This recipe will make around 1-1.25 pounds of Mozzarella Cheese. For a larger batch, scale this recipe by multiplying the ingredients or toggle the serving size above.

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Gallon Whole Milk (Not Ultra-Pasteurized)

Tablet Rennet Dissolved

TSP Citric Acid, Dissolved

TSP Cheese Salt

Quart Pot

Thermometer

Spoon

Medium Microwave Safe Bowl

For Water Bath

Gloves

Add milk and citric acid solution to a pot and begin heating over medium heat.

Once milk has reached 90°F, add diluted rennet and stir thoroughly for 30 seconds.

You'll notice a thick curd beginning to form. Continue heating, stirring gently, until it reaches 105°F. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Prepare a water bath: fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Set aside.

Scoop curds out into a large microwave bowl and drain off excess whey.

Heat and knead: Microwave on high for 90 seconds. Wearing gloves, knead the curd in the bowl about 10 times to help distribute the heat.

Drain off any whey and sprinkle with salt. Microwave for another 30 seconds, then knead about 10 times.

Repeat the heat and knead process until the curd begins to come together and you're able to stretch it apart without it breaking. Stretch it a few more times to achieve the shiny mozzarella look.

Shape: stretch and form into a ball or log and plunge into the water bath to prevent further melting. Let it sit in the bath for 5 minutes to cool before serving and storing.

Fermented beets are a crunchy and delicious snack, a colorful and nutritious side dish, and a bright and easy topping for a variety of dishes.

Fermented Beets

beets beets are best)

water (filtered)

Stir two cups of filtered water in a saucepan with two tablespoons of salt, warming over low-medium heat just until dissolved.

Pour the salt water into a clean quart jar.

Add remaining 2 cups of water to the salt water mixture,.

Slice beets into bite-sized cubes and add to your empty quart jar with desired seasonings (garlic, peppercorns, etc). Layer beets and seasonings to really disperse the flavors.

Pour your salt brine over the beets until fully submerged. Leave 1-2 inches at the top of the jar. You can use a fermentation weight or improvise with a smaller, clean jar or even a large, folded cabbage leaf to keep the submerged beets in place.

Extra brine can be reserved in your refrigerator until the next ferment.

Cover with a fermentation lid, or even a loosely placed canning lid or tea towel. You want to protect your fermentation while allowing air to be released. If using a regular canning lid, open the jar once a day to release the gas.

Leave the jar at room temperature for 2-10 days until your desired flavor and texture is achieved. 

Once your ferment is done, cover with a tight lid and move to the refrigerator.

First time I made this, worked just fine and beets were delicious, I decided to try it again with some modificatios, and the water got slimy and of course I waisted all my beets.
The things I did different were as follows: Instead of cutting beets in cubes, I did slices, and put the cabbage leaf as suggested on the recipe, the rest was done as directed. What could have gone wrong to get the result I got, very sad at this point since I love beets.

Can’t wait to try this!  
When using a standard mason jar lid - by “loosely placed” do you mean to just rest the lid atop the jar, or can I slightly seal the lid to protect against potentially being knocked into? (Small counter space issues 😅)

Can I potentially just buy it from you as it seems really good?

Top 7 fermented food recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Sourdough starter

Fermented Hot Sauce

Fermented soybean paste (Doenjang)

Kimchi double-cheese toasties

Kimchi

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Fermented Beets

Top 7 fermented food recipes from across the web

The most viewed fermented food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sourdough starter

Fermented Hot Sauce

Fermented soybean paste (Doenjang)

Kimchi double-cheese toasties

Kimchi

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Fermented Beets

The most viewed fermented food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine