u/pema170917

Three weeks ago , I was convinced my ginger bug had turned into vinegar.

Yesterday, my son-in-law, who had never tasted ginger bug before, took a sip and immediately asked:

"Wait… is this alcohol?"

That made me stop and really taste it again.

Surprisingly, the acidity had mellowed. The ginger aroma is still wonderful and it now reminds me almost of a ginger-flavored sake.

Apparently my poor ginger bug wasn't dead after all. 

Fermentation loves surprises.

Ingredients

Spring roll pastry

1 ripe banana

150 g silken tofu

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp maple syrup (or agave)

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

Line mini muffin cups with two overlapping squares of spring roll pastry.

Place one or two banana slices (or a spoonful of mashed banana) in the bottom of each cup.

Blend the silken tofu, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until smooth.

Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the banana.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15–18 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Let cool slightly before serving.

I wanted to make a simple dessert using ingredients I already had at home. This is what I came up with. The crispy pastry and creamy filling make a really nice combination.

P

Every fermentation has its own rhythm.

Some fruits become active after only 5 or 6 days, while others take weeks to develop their own character.

Patience is part of the process.

This Tamarillo koso is 21 days old. Some of my grape ferments took almost a month before they really began to reveal their aromas.

No two jars follow exactly the same path, and that's one of the things I enjoy most about fermentation.

Tofu knots

Boil the tofu knots for 10–20 minutes in vegetable broth with a piece of ginger and a few garlic cloves.

Drain well.

Toss with a little flour, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Pan-fry until golden and crispy. Set aside.

Bok choy (serves about 2)

Ingredients

250 g bok choy

2 tbsp oil

5 garlic cloves, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Method

Quarter the bok choy, wash, and dry well.

Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot.

Add the oil, then the garlic, onion, and soy sauce. Stir-fry for a few seconds.

Add the bok choy and stir-fry over high heat for only a few seconds, just until tender-crisp.

Return the crispy tofu knots to the pan, toss everything together, and add a little more soy sauce if needed.

Finish with the toasted sesame oil.

This also works really well with zucchini instead of bok choy.

Simple, quick, and one of my favorite ways to cook tofu knots.

This pepper is very hot

Tofu knots

Boil the tofu knots for 10–20 minutes in vegetable broth with a piece of ginger and a few garlic cloves.

Drain well.

Toss with a little flour, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Pan-fry until golden and crispy. Set aside.

Bok choy (serves about 2)

Ingredients

250 g bok choy

2 tbsp oil

5 garlic cloves, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Method

Quarter the bok choy, wash, and dry well.

Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot.

Add the oil, then the garlic, onion, and soy sauce. Stir-fry for a few seconds.

Add the bok choy and stir-fry over high heat for only a few seconds, just until tender-crisp.

Return the crispy tofu knots to the pan, toss everything together, and add a little more soy sauce if needed.

Finish with the toasted sesame oil.

This also works really well with zucchini instead of bok choy.

Simple, quick, and one of my favorite ways to cook tofu knots.

They're very sweet but still astringent, and each fruit has about 4 large seeds and very little pulp.

I'd love to know how you use them—jam, syrup, preserves, or anything else.

Fresh rosemary flowers from the garden, gently infused into a homemade flower syrup.

No leaves, just the flowers.

I also added a tiny strip of clementine zest, which paired beautifully with the delicate floral notes.

The syrup was soft, naturally sweet, and surprisingly delicate. A longer infusion brought out even more of its floral aroma, without the strong resinous character usually associated with rosemary.

Sometimes, the smallest flowers hold the gentlest flavors.

Ingredients

250 ml (1 cup) vegetable broth

 1 kg (2.2 lb) nantes rainbow carrots, cut in half lengthwise

 30 ml (2 tbsp.) oil

 30 ml (2 tbsp.) balsamic vinegar

 30 ml (2 tbsp.) brown sugar

 10 ml (2 tsp) thyme leaves, plus more for serving

In a large skillet, bring the broth and carrots to a boil.  cover and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes or until carrots are al dente.  remove the lid and let reduce until almost dry.

 add the oil, vinegar, brown sugar and thyme.  continue cooking, stirring, until the carrots are glazed and the liquid has evaporated.  salt and pepper.

 distribute the carrots on a serving dish and sprinkle with thyme leaves, if desired. 

Coconut Curry Tofu with Green Bell Pepper

Ingredients

Tofu

1 onion

1 green bell pepper

Garlic

Curry powder

Turmeric

Ground cumin

Salt

Coconut milk

Instructions

Cut the tofu, onion, and green bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.

Mix them with the garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and salt.

Let marinate for 15–20 minutes.

Cook everything in a pan until the tofu is lightly golden.

Add the coconut milk.

Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Soy, Sesame & Maple Syrup 

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2–3 tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)

Instructions

Steam the eggplants until tender.

Cut them into pieces.

Mix the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and maple syrup.

Coat the eggplant pieces with the sauce.

Pan-fry everything until the tofu is lightly golden.

After my Victoria pineapple & vanilla tepache... here comes the spicy version.

This time: Victoria pineapple, fresh ginger, bird's eye chili, black pepper, Sichuan pepper, nutmeg, cloves

After 24 hours there was almost no activity, but after 48 hours a nice foam appeared. I'm probably going to let it ferment one more day before bottling.

Has anyone here tried Sichuan pepper in tepache? I'd love to hear your experience.

Pineapple tepache + spices + sichuan (first day)

Nobody warned me that making water kefir would eventually require:

-a fermentation shelf

-a fermentation fridge

-labeled jars everywhere

-dried fruits from previous kosos

-emergency water reserves

-weekly kefir kits in recycled cheese boxes

I think the ferments have officially taken over.

The skin and the pulp are a little acidic and inside the flesh is sweet and fragrant, it melts in the mouth, it is sometimes prepared in spicy fruit salad, in jelly, in jam, in juice, ice cream, and in fruit paste

Has anyone ever tried japanese grapes (hovenia dulcis) in fermentation, in koso, in kefir or kumbucha? i have a friend who has to bring me some and i don't know how this fruit behaves in fermentation

Very fruity, soft and pleasant to drink.

Made with a one-month fermented red strawberry guava syrup and a little fresh red strawberry guava for extra freshness.

Very fruity, soft and pleasant to drink.

Made with a one-month fermented red strawberry guava syrup and a little fresh red strawberry guava for extra freshness.