Talk to me about sourdough - The Fermentation Club!

[Cosmopolitan]

In fact, because it's quite warm, you may find that fermentation occurs quicker and your starter will be ready to cook with quicker.

[purple_dress]

Once it's established, if it's warm it'll need feeding more often, that's the thing.

Bubbles already is great!

[Offtopic]

How can you tell when it is ready and how can you tell if it dead please?

[Squirrel]

Fermentation club! I used to make sourdough but haven't done for years, I might get a starter going again after half term.

[purple_dress]

When it's ready it's nice and bubbly with a not unpleasant sour smell.

When it's dead it's about the worst thing you've ever smelt, has no bubbles when fed. In my case it also grew mould.

[Cosmopolitan]

From left to right, kombucha, kefir and kimchee. I had a small accident with the sourdough starter and it made an epic mess (I dropped it) so no sour dough for now.

[overthehill]

One of my sewing ladies was interested in the kombucha. My starter seems more liquid than I expected it to be. It smells good (a bit yoghurty). Does that sound right?

[purple_dress]

Yes that sounds right. Are you doing half flour and half water?

[viggy]

Fermentation club I was given a packet of sourdough starter, this is making me want to dig it out and join in :sheeple:

[viggy]

Also, does anyone have a kimchi recipe they'd recommend? And do we think it would work with savoy, in a similarly crinkly kinda way?

[Mountain Goat]

Sure, try it, I've done it with kale, it's not standard by any means but it ferments and it tastes good. Plus kimchi can be made with all sorts: the chinese leaves one is the basic but Koreans make it with radishes, cucumbers, whatever.

I freehand it these days, which is perhaps not much use for the first time, but can dig up the recipe I've used the most in a bit.

Good fermenting work Cosmo! You've been busy.

[Mountain Goat]

20170213_105814.jpg

This is the Momofuku recipe.

[Mountain Goat]

So you need the cabbage, carrots and spring onions as the base for the classic one, but you can play around with a different type of cabbage, or swap/add the root veg; some recipes use daikon for example.

You need to salt the cabbage at least an hour or so to get the right texture; above also puts sugar in the mix and gives it overnight, but lots of others will say an hour and just salt. And you need to wash it off.

You need the garlic, ginger and chilli - I don't think the world will collapse if you use another type of chilli to gochugaru, but bear in mind that gochugaru is pretty mild so if you're using standard chilli flakes, use less.

And you need a fermenting agent - this uses fish sauce and salted shrimp. Shrimp paste is another agent that will work. Some recipes will use a combination of these, some just one. Your kimchi will ferment just fine just with fish sauce if you can't get salted shrimp; it might take longer (I'm not sure) and it might taste a little different but you don't need to dedicate your life to seeking it out.

As long as you have the right textures from the veg (and from pre-salting the cabbage), the right flavours of ginger/garlic/chilli in a loose, creamy "sauce", and the the hit of fermented stuff, it will be good kimchi.

[purple_dress]

That sounds great, Goat. Thanks!

[overthehill]

Yes that sounds right. Are you doing half flour and half water?

I'm using the recipe/method that Cosmo posted, but looking at it again, I think I may be adding a bit too much water. The recipe says to weigh out 4oz of flour and 4oz water, which is what I have been doing. But later on, the blogger equates 4oz water to 1/2 cup. I just weighed 1/2 cup water and it is about 3.5oz. My starter seems to be thriving ok (it's now living on top of one of our kitchen wall units), but does look a lot more liquid and less spongy than in the recipe photos. I don't suppose it matters, though, does it? Presumably, I can just cut down on the water I'm adding for the next few days, to bring it back to the required consistency?

Here it is, anyway - just before feeding.

starter.jpg

[viggy]

Thanks Goat, that's really helpful.

[Cosmopolitan]

It looks pretty healthy OTH, and I'm amazed that you mix the flour & water together before putting it in the main starter, I just add a couple tablespoons flour and enough water to make it look like the right consistency. (Saves on washing up!) It's pretty forgiving really.

[overthehill]

That sounds a lot easier, Cosmo. Presumably, then, I could just add flour tomorrow, to bring it back to a spongy consistency.

[Cosmopolitan]

Yup, I would do that. As long as it gets fed every day then it should be pretty happy.

[Arrietty]

Inspired by this thread, I have defrosted "Bernard" (sourdough starter) and he is bubbling away nicely in the kitchen.
"Bernard's Baby" (bread I made yesterday) is in the fridge in a banneton basket and will be going in the oven later.
Pictures later! And hopefully sourdough toast and pate for lunch tomorrow...