Charlotte Pike

FermentedA beginner’s guide to making your own sourdough,

yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, KIMCHI and more

For T

First published in Great Britain in 2015 byKyle Books an imprint of Kyle Cathie Limited192–198 Vauxhall Bridge RoadLondon SW1V 1DXgeneral.enquiries@kylebooks.comwww.kylebooks.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN: 978 0 85783 286 3

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

Charlotte Pike is hereby identified as the author of this work in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Text © Charlotte Pike 2015Photographs © Tara Fisher 2015 Design © Kyle Books 2015

Editor: Vicky Orchard Design: Lucy GowansPhotography: Tara FisherFood styling: Annie RiggProps Styling: Tabitha HawkinsProduction: Nic Jones and Gemma John

Colour reproduction by ALTA LondonPrinted and bound in China by C&C Offset Printing Co., Ltd.

CONTENTS

Introduction 6

Fruit & Vegetables 14

Yogurt & Labneh 42

Beans & Pulses 82

Sourdough Baking 102

Drinks 124

Preserves 140

Index 156

resources 159

26 FERMENTED

Korean tofu stir-fry with kimchi

This stir-fry is my version of a classic Korean dish known as Japchae. It uses sweet potato noodles, which are an important staple in the Korean diet, and which are gluten free. Often called glass noodles, as they become clear when cooked, they are quite neutral in flavour and have a rather moreish sticky texture.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C electric/gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer on the baking tray and bake for 20–30 minutes or until golden, firm and crisp around the edges.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and set aside.

Place a large wok over a high heat. Add the sunflower oil and allow it to heat for a minute. Put in all of the remaining ingredients, except for the noodles and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes. Add the noodles and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes or until they are heated through.

Serve the stir-fry in large bowls, topped with the baked tofu. Finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a generous spoonful of kimchi on top.

SERVES 4

200g marinated tofu, cut into 1.5cm cubes50g sweet potato noodles (available from

ethnic food shops and online), or vermicelli200g baby spinach leaves, stalks removed4 tablespoons dark soy sauce1 tablespoon sesame oil1 tablespoon caster or light brown soft sugar1½ tablespoons sunflower oil1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced200g shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, thinly

sliced4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed1 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin

matchsticks1 courgette, cut into thin matchsticks

TO SERVE

toasted sesame seeds4 heaped tablespoons Kimchi (page 25)

Take a large casserole pan and add the freekeh and stock. Place over a high heat without the lid on and cook for around 15-20 minutes until the freekeh is cooked al dente.

Separately, in a large frying pan, add 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and fry the onions over a moderate heat, so that they soften, but don’t brown. This will also take around 15 minutes. Now, place the onions in with the freekeh and stock and turn the pan down to a gentle simmer. Keep the frying pan to hand (no need to wash it!).

Place the aubergine chunks in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and salt and pepper. Toss together, ensuring the spices evenly coat the aubergine.

Place the remaining olive oil into the frying pan and fry the aubergine chunks for around 5 minutes over a moderate to high heat, turning them frequently. Now, add the aubergine to the casserole pan. Finally add the tamarind and honey into the pan and stir well. Taste for seasoning.

Keep the stew warm over a gentle heat with the lid on whilst you prepare the yoghurt. Simply place the saffron into a small dish and add the water. Set it aside for a minute. Mix all the remaining ingredients together into a mixing bowl and stir. Add the saffron and stir again.

Serve the stew topped with the saffron yoghurt, garnished with some pomegranate seeds and fresh mint leaves – as many or as few as you like. Serve immediately. It’s a really nice dish to serve on a large warmed platter or serving dish in the middle of the table when cooking for friends.

Persian aubergine stew with saffron yoghurt

This is a really quick stew to make and combines a myriad of delicious of Middle Eastern flavours. Even better, it is a complete meal in itself, and is perfect for both a weeknight supper or for easy entertaining.

serves 4

for the stew

200g freekeh1 litre vegetable or chicken stock3 tbsp olive oil1 large Spanish onion, sliced2 large aubergines, cut into 2-3cm cubes1 tsp cinnamon2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp turmericSea salt and pepper2 tbsp tamarind paste2 tbsp honey

for the saffron yoghurt

Pinch saffron1 tsp boiling water175g full-fat natural yoghurt1 small clove garlic, crushed1 tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp olive oilPinch sea salt

to serve

Pomegranate seedsFresh mint leaves

2 FERMENTED

4 FERMENTED FERMENTED 5

First of all, prepare the dosa batter. Place all the ingredients together in a jug, whisk to form a smooth batter and set aside to ferment. Cover with cling film.

Next, make the dal. Place the lentils and a pinch of salt into a saucepan. Add the water and bring to the boil. Cook until the lentils are soft. Drain well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the ginger, turmeric, salt, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Fry the spices for a minute or two and then drizzle onto the lentils. Stir in and set aside. This can be made in advance and kept warm or reheated, or used immediately.

Finally, make the coconut chutney by placing all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the coconut is chopped into fairly small pieces. Place in a bowl to serve on the table.

Just before you’re ready to serve, cook the pancakes. Heat just a few drops of oil in a large frying pan and pour in some batter and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. The batter is quite thick, so this is an important stage to follow. The cooked pancakes can be kept warm for a few minutes in the oven, set to around 100ºC until you’re ready to eat.

Serve the pancakes freshly cooked on warmed plates, filled with dal, coconut chutney, brinjal and roasted cauliflower.

Dosa pancakes with dal and coconut chutney

Dosa pancakes originally come from South India, where the batter was left to ferment for a couple of days before cooking, and often eaten for breakfast. This batter is much quicker to prepare. You can leave it to ferment for 3-4 hours at room temperature, covered in cling film. The pancakes are delicious eaten with chutney, or even as an accompaniment to curry. Serving them with dal and coconut chutney is a delicious and highly nutritious way of enjoying them. Some roasted cauliflower and plenty of Brinjal (aubergine pickle) are essential accompaniments.

serves 6

for the dosa

125g chickpea flour125g plain flour½ tsp bicarbonate of soca1 level tbsp mustard seeds, crushed1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a little extra for cooking400ml waterPinch sea salt

for the dal

200g red lentils1 litre water3 tsp vegetable oil1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated1 ½ tsp turmeric1 tsp sea salt plus another pinch1 tsp cumin1 tsp ground corianderPinch cayenne pepper

for the coconut chutney

125g fresh coconut flesh, shell removed, and the brown skin peeled, using a potato peeler1 very small shallot, chopped1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated1 tbsp lemon juice1 tsp ground coriander2 cloves½ tsp cinnamon1 tsp salt1 tbsp sugar2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

tip: To roast cauliflower, remove the leaves from a head of cauliflower and break into florets. Season with some sea salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C fan for around 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Serve hot or cold.

First of all, lightly whip the double cream. Place the remaining ingredients, except the rosewater into a bowl and stir together. Fold in the cream gently. Now, add the rosewater, just two drops to start with. Fold this in and taste to see if you need any more rosewater.

Keep chilled and covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Simply spoon into bowls to serve.

Cardamom and rose yoghurt cream

This is a delicious lightly perfumed pudding, not to dissimilar from a fool that makes a light and interesting end to a meal. You need just a little served in a bowl. For an extra special touch, try it served sprinkled with crystallised rose petals.

serves 4-6

225ml double cream225ml yoghurt75g caster sugarSeeds from 4 green cardamom pods2-4 drops rosewater, depending on the strength

6 FERMENTED

FERMENTED 145FERMENTED 145

blackberry vinegar

Blackberry vinegar is a gorgeous ingredient to use in dressings, or to add to slow-cooked meat dishes for an extra dimension of flavour. This sweetened vinegar is really versatile, and makes a great gift, too. I love to use foraged blackberries for this, as wild fruit contains so much more flavour than cultivated.

MAKES 500ML

300ml organic cider vinegar or homemade vinegar (page 142)

400g organic granulated cane sugar500g blackberries, rinsed

you will need a 1-litre glass Le-Parfait-style jar with a rubber seal, sterilised according

to the instructions on page 11

Combine the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and stir gently over a low heat until all of the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.

Place the blackberries inside the jar and crush them lightly with a fork. Pour the cold sweetened vinegar over the fruit and close the lid.

Set aside in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, after which time the vinegar will smell sweet and fruity. Strain the vinegar into a bottle and fasten the lid.

The vinegar will keep for up to 9 months.

FERMENTED 9

Line a 25cm round springform tin with non-stick greaseproof paper.

Start by making the base. Place the nuts and dates into a food processor and blitz until the nuts form small chunks. Add the coconut oil and vanilla extract and blitz until the mixture starts to bind together.

Tip the base mixture into the prepared tin and press down evenly. Cover and refrigerate.

Make up the cheesecake by whisking the labneh, vanilla extract and honey together. Spread evenly over the base, leveling it off neatly. Chill for a minimum of 8 hours before removing from the tin. Drizzle with some more honey on top, slice and serve. This is a lovely pudding to make for a gathering.

Super healthy labneh cheesecake with honey

serves 12

for the base

375g nuts – you can use all cashew nuts, or a mixture of cashew, almonds and walnuts150g dates, pitted75g coconut oilA few drops vanilla extract

for the cheesecake

550g sweet labneh1 tsp vanilla extract75g raw honey, plus more to drizzle on top

Recipe intro to come. Dosa pancakes originally come from South India, where the batter was left to ferment for a couple of days before cooking, and often eaten for breakfast.

10 FERMENTED FERMENTED 11

Start by making the buns. Sift the flours, into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar and yeast and stir well.

Place the milk and butter into a saucepan over a low heat and melt the butter into the milk. Do not allow the milk to start to simmer, this needs to be done over a low temperature

Pour the milk and melted butter into the flour mixture, add the egg and sourdough starter and continue to stir together to form a soft dough.

Grease a large mixing bowl, place the dough into the bowl. Cover with cling film and place in a warm place for around 45 minutes until the dough has risen and doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling by beating together the butter, sugar and cinnamon.

Grease and line a 20cm square or round cake tin and set aside

When the dough has risen, remove from the bowl, and place on a clean, floured work surface. Gently roll out the dough to form a rectangle around 2 cm thick, no thinner

Spread the filling evenly over the dough. If the butter is still firm, you can break it up into pieces and distribute evenly over the dough.

Now, roll up the dough to form the buns. Place your dough in a landscape position in front of you and start from a long side of the rectangle, roll up the dough, like a swiss roll

Cut the dough into 9 buns. Each slice should be about 8cm thick

Fit the buns into your prepared tin, cover with cling film and allow them to rise for a further 30 minutes in a warm place.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC/355F/Gas Mark 4

When the buns have risen, brush them with beaten egg, sprinkle over the demerara sugar and bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the buns from the tray, without separating them, and leave to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before pulling apart and diving in.

Sourdough cinnamon buns

makes 9 buns

for the buns

225g plain flour, plus a little extra for the worksurface 200g strong white bread flourPinch salt75g caster sugar2 level tsp instant action dried yeast230ml/1 cup milk75g butter1 egg, beaten50g sourdough starter

for the filling

85g butter75g demerara sugar4 tsp cinnamon

for the topping

1 egg, beaten3 tbsp demerara sugar

FERMENTED 129

Fruit Water Kefir

After your first attempt, you might like to experiment by adding other flavours to your water kefir on page 126. These are some of my favourite flavour combinations, which add a subtle fruity flavour to your drinks. When the fruit is added the kefir ferments for a further 24 hours.

Put all the ingredients in the glass jar and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Set aside to ferment on the kitchen worksurface for 12 hours. Either drink it straight, as it is, or strain and drink. Best served chilled, though. You may like to sieve the fruit-flavoured kefir before drinking, using a nylon sieve and pouring it into a clean jug. I like to strain it, pour it into a clean bottle and keep it in the fridge. Drink within 24 hours.

MAKES 1 LITRE

1 litre Water Kefir (page 126)

Suggested flavouringsEITHER 3 slices fresh lime and 3 slices fresh

lemonOR 2 tablespoons blueberries and

2 tablespoons pomegranate seedsOR 2 tablespoons fresh raspberries or 4 large

strawberries, hulled and sliced

you will need a 1-litre glass Le-Parfait-style jar with a rubber seal, sterilised according to the instructions on page 11

TIP:

Avoid using metal utensils or containers when making kefir.