🍲✨ Fermentation Fun: Microbial Magic in Beans! 🌱🔬

Have you ever thought about the magic behind fermented foods?!!

Source:https://www.color-meanings.com/colorful-mushrooms-fungi/

🌍 Many recipes are cherished heirlooms, passed down through the ages, and enveloped in tales of yore. While diverse microbes take part, just a handful shape the final masterpiece. 🍲✨ 

How Fermentation Shapes Food? 🍎🔍 

Fermentation magically tweaks 5 primary aspects of food: 

• Preservation: 🛡️ Ever wonder why pickles last so long? Lactic acid bacteria are the unsung heroes, producing acids that ward off spoilage agents. 
• Digestibility and Toxin Reduction: 🌿 Plants can be tricky! Some contain toxins, but fermentation comes to the rescue, making them friendly for our tummies. 
• Probiotics: 🦠 Fermented foods might be the best friends your gut never knew it had! 
• Taste: 😋 Who doesn't love a zesty kick or a sour tang? Thank fermentation for that burst of flavor! 
• Nutritional Enhancement: 🌟 Every bite is a surprise, with fermentation boosting the nutrient value of your meal. 

Back to the Basics: Alkaline Fermentation 🍶💚 

Western dishes often go acidic, but have you ever heard of alkaline fermentation? It's a game-changer! Foods like soybeans and seeds undergo this transformative journey. Examples include natto, Dawadawa, and kinema: 

• Natto 🌱: Heard of the stringy delight from Japan? Thanks to Bacillus subtilis, natto stands out with its characteristic stringiness and aroma. 
  
  Source: https://savvytokyo.com/japanese-superfoods-natto/

• Dawadawa: 🌰 Africa's secret condiment! Primarily fermented with Bacillus subtilis, it's a testament to the wonders of fermentation. 
  
  Source: https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Dawadawa_12606.php

• Kinema: 🍚 The Eastern Himalayas' pride! Similar to Dawadawa but with a unique twist of its own. 

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=P-qNbnpcxl8

Mold-Driven Fermentation of Soybeans 🍚🍄

Source:https://www.color-meanings.com/colorful-mushrooms-fungi/

Did you know molds canbe chefs too? They craft wonders like tempeh and koji: 

• Tempeh: 🍲 Have you ever tasted the nutty, earthy delight called Tempeh? It's a Rhizopus masterpiece! 
  
  Source:https://frommybowl.com/easy-baked-tempeh/

Koji: 🍙 The unsung hero behind miso and soy sauce, Koji is a moldy marvel, turning ordinary grains into fermented gold. 

Source:https://www.fermentationculture.eu/shop/dried-koji-rice/

Thanks to the fermentation, our culinary world is diverse and delicious. 🕰️💖 It's a saga of flavors, from natto and dawadawa to tempeh and koji. Dive in and savor the microbial magic! 🥂🎉