Beet Kvass
Recipe for 1 litre (35 fl oz) jar
By far the easiest fermented recipe there is, beet kvass is a simple drink that can be used on its own or in smoothies. It is an important ingredient in the hearty, sour beet soup borscht.
- 1 small to medium beetroot
- 1 litre (35 fl oz) water
- 5 g (1/8 oz) salt
Rinse the beet to ensure no soil or dirt particles are on the skin. Cut the beetroot into 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ in) cubes, skin and all. Place the cut beetroot in a clean jar and top it up with water. Stir in the salt. Cover the jar with an airlock or lid and set it on a tray to catch any overflow. Sit it in a cool location, out of direct sunlight.
The beet kvass is ready from 1 week, when the liquid has turned a dark beetroot colour. Keep in the fridge once you are happy with the level of acidity.
Berry Kvass Smoothie
Makes 1.5 litres (52 fl oz)
A great way to incorporate lacto-fermented beet kvass is to add it to a berry smoothie. Not only does it improve the nutritional value of the drink, but the deep beetroot colour also naturally enhances the smoothie’s colour. You can use only a small amount for a mild, almost non-existent taste, or a more significant portion for a more adventurous fermented flavour.
- 2–3 bananas, peeled, chopped into chunks and frozen
- 1–1½ cups fresh or frozen berries
- 2 tablespoons (for mild flavour) to 150 ml (5 fl oz) (for strong flavour) Beet Kvass water
- 1–3 teaspoons sugar or honey (optional)
Place the frozen banana, berries and the desired amount of Beet Kvass into a blender.
Top up to the 1.5 litre (52 fl oz) mark with water. If the berries are fresh, use very cold water or some ice. Blend until the texture is smooth. Add sugar or honey if desired.
Serve cold in a clear cup so you can admire the colour. You can store this drink in the fridge in a sealed jar for 2–3 days.
Fermented Gluten-free Buckwheat Bread
Makes 2 loaves
Buckwheat lends itself really well to fermentation, and since our friend Sarah Lily taught us how to make bread from fermenting whole buckwheat groats, we never looked back.
This exciting recipe has replaced all other methods we have used to make gluten-free sourdough bread. We love it, not only for its mild sour taste and great texture, but also because we are using NZ-grown buckwheat, making this a local gluten-free bread.
Buckwheat is a high-nutrient pseudocereal rich in proteins, flavonoids and phytosterols. It is a valuable source of rutin, which shows anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiatherogenic and antioxidant activity.[1] In addition to making an awesome gluten-free sourdough, researchers recommend enhancing wheat bread and other baked goods with buckwheat thanks to its increased shelf life, high-value nutrition and for having been shown to reduce blood glucose and insulin responses after its consumption when incorporated into white wheat bread.
A cool thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t require a sourdough starter to raise the bread; instead, the yeast and bacteria come from the fermenting of the groats.
- 650 g (1 lb 7 oz) buckwheat groats
- 15 g (½ oz) salt
Place the groats in a 2 litre (70 fl oz) jar and fill up with enough water to cover the groats. Cover with a cloth or a loose lid and let the groats ferment for 2 days, mixing once a day. On the third day, drain the groats into a colander and rinse with water.
Place the drained buckwheat in a blender or food processor. Add the salt and blend for several minutes until a smooth and uniform batter is formed. Pour the thick batter back into the jar, and cover again with a cloth. Let the batter ferment at room temperature for another 24–36 hours. It will likely increase in volume by 10–20%, but don’t hold back from moving to the next stage if it doesn’t. Lightly oil two baking tins and pour the batter into them. Cover and leave for 4–6 hours or overnight. The bread may not rise during this time, but it will inside the oven, by 10 to 20%.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) for 20–30 minutes. Lightly glaze the bread with beaten egg or oil if you like, place a lid over the tins, and place in the bottom third of the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, removing the lid after 20 minutes of baking.
Let the bread cool down for 30 minutes and enjoy. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipes extracted from The Abundant Kitchen by Niva & Yotam Kay, photography by Aaron McLean, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $49.99.
