Healthy Living Asia - Fermenting Revivalist SANDOR KATZ in HK
Healthy Living Asia - Q&A with Katz
SCMP - ​How Fermentation is Making Hong Kong Restaurant Dishes more Flavourful and Health
Hong Kong Tatler - ​Demystifying the Art of Fermentation with Sandor Katz 

(Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Fermented) 

Salsa is always popular, by fermenting it the taste is even more extraordinary and it lasts longer!  Basically, it is your normal salsa recipe, with some extra salt, then jar it up and letting it sit on the counter a couple of days to ferment.

I love that it lasts a long time in the fridge once it is made, but it might not last so long because it is good. The first bite is a bit strange, sort of fizzy like it has 'gone off' but this is what you want... after that it gets addictive.

You can ferment your regular salsa by making yours as usual, and following the directions below.

 

Ingredients

• 1 kilo of tomatoes, diced
  
• 1 large onion, minced small
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced small
  
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped with leaving some leaves whole
  
• 1 bunch of spring onion, chopped small
  
• Optional - 1-3 chopped chilies
  
• 2% of the overall weight in Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
  

 
Directions

• Prepare all of the ingredients above as instructed
• Mix everything except the salt
• Weigh your salsa on a digital scale
• Add 2% of the overall weight in salt
• Mix well
• Put in a closed jar, leaving at least 20% of space at the top of the jar for expansion

Let sit for 2-3 days, until it is slightly fizzy.

Store in the refrigerator, fermented salsa will last for weeks.

Serve it with chips, on salads, in tacos or burritos, over fish, however you would normally enjoy your salsa!

Fermented Salsa - some other methods
Fermented Pico de Gallo
Probiotic Kombucha Salsa with Grilled Pineapple

Photo: Fermented Salsa, Raw Cashew Not Cheese, Raw Buckwheat Crackers, and a bowl of flowers my daughter put on the table.

I make some variety of this when I have a craving for something that super rich and filling with just one spoonful!  Truly, this lasts a long time as it is so rich and filling that you only need a spoonful to feel satisfied. 

Ingredients

• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (or homemade)
  
• 1/2 cup of raw cacao powder (or carob powder)
  
• 3 Tablespoons of coconut butter
• 7 dates with the pits taken out (only 5 if you use carob powder as it is naturally sweeter)
  
• 1 Tablespoon of vanilla powder (or extract)
  
• 1 teaspoon of a spice - cinnamon or cayenne or chili - this will give it extra depth
  
• 1/8 teaspoon of high mineral salt (Celtic or Himalayan)
• 2/3 cup of chia seeds
  
• 1 bag of frozen berries (mixed or single variety)**
  
• 1 cup of cut fresh fruit
  

** Adding the frozen berries is optional - this recipe works with and without the frozen berries.  Without them it is much richer and more decadent.  With them it is a bit more of a gentle taste and not as chocolate dominant.  Try it both ways!!

Directions

Option 1 - longer, and smoother

• Blend the first 6 ingredients in your blender (I use a Vitamix)
  
• Pour into a bowl, add the chia seeds and mix well
  
• Refrigerate until set
  
• Spoon into the blender, add the frozen berries, blend well
  
• Separate into mini serving bowls
  
• Serve with fresh fruit (berries, pomegranate, etc...), nuts, seeds, granola etc... sprinkled on top

Option 2 - shorter, and textured with the chia seeds

• Blend the first 5 ingredients and the frozen berries in your blender (I use a Vitamix)
  
• Pour into a bowl, add the chia seeds and mix well until the chia seeds are evenly mixed in
  
• Separate into mini serving bowls, and refrigerate until set (4+ hours)
  
• Serve with fresh fruit (berries, pomegranate, etc...), nuts, seeds, granola etc... sprinkled on top
  

Store in a glass bowl or jar in the fridge, there is no need to freeze this.  It gets quite 'solid' from the coconut and the chia seeds.

Serving Ideas

• In small bowls with fresh berries
  
• Layered in wine glasses with coconut cream or coconut yogurt and berries
  
• Use as an icing for a cake or cupcake
  
• Package in small glass jars and give to friends
  
• Eat with a spoon from the bowl because you can't wait and it is so yummy!

Bonus Idea
I made this in the morning in my Vitamix, did *not* wash my Vitamix, then made my green smoothie - extra delicious!

Milk Kefir Cream Cheese
This is my favorite way to consume milk kefir - as healthy probiotic filled kefir cream cheese!  It is super easy to make, and tastes better than any store bought cream cheese or 'shmear' I have ever tried.  

Ingredients

• 1 liter of thick dairy milk kefir (goats milk is great!)

 
Directions

• Remove kefir grains and 10% of kefir to use to start your next batch of milk kefir
  
• ​Strain through a nut milk / Chinese soup bag
• Put bag in a colander, in a glass bowl
• Put a weight on top and let is strain and ferment on the counter for 24 hours 
• Stop straining when it gets to the thickness you desire
• Flavor to use as a dip or spread
• Save the whey for future use
  

Flavor Ideas for Kefir Cheese

• Nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, onion powder, high mineral salt
• Mixed herbs and garlic powder, high mineral salt
• Fresh herbs, scallions, high mineral salt
• Chopped sun dried tomatoes, basil, high mineral salt
• Dried apricots and cinnamon 

NOTE:  For Vegan, Non-Dairy, Nut/Seed Fermented Cheese - click here

This works as a yummy spread, a dip, a sauce, however you want to use it.  It is easy to make, and flexible to flavor.
The fermentation gives it a special tang, plus probiotic goodness.  You can make it without the water kefir grains, and it will still be yummy, just not fermented

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of nuts or seeds (soaked at least 8 hours)
  
• 4 Tablespoons of water kefir grains
  
• Filtered water (enough to blend everything smoothly)
  

Directions

• Blend in a high power blender (Like a Vitamix - see more here)
  
• Strain through a nut milk / Chinese soup bag
  
• Place the nut milk / Chinese soup bag in a strainer, and place the strainer in a bowl
• Put a weight on top and let is strain and ferment on the counter for 24 hours 
  


• At this point can flavor and use as a dip or spread
• Alternatively, put in a cheese mold and let dry for days in a low temperature dehydrator (less than 115  F).  You can then let it ‘age’ and get a harder ‘cheese’ to be used like a Parmesan. 

Flavor ideas
Cheesy - nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, pepper, herbs
Spicy - nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper
Herby - Fresh or dried herbs of your choice, salt
Fruity - Dried apricots

Hints
Try mixing your nuts or seeds!  
Macadamia and cashews
Sunflower and sesame

(Raw, Fermented, Gluten Free, Vegan)

Pineapple is one of those fruits we seem to get year round without much difficulty.  Some of my favorite drinks have pineapple, like my Kefir Colada.

This ferment was born out of the desire to use readily available ingredients to make something with an Asian twist!  The basil and chili are from my garden.  

I was inspired to use basil after a fabulous pineapple and thai basil smoothie I had in Thailand last year.  Sri Lanka, India, and other Asian countries have a popular snack of pineapple or other fruits with salt and chili. Put it all together, ferment it, and it's even more yummy!

You can easily adjust this to use other spices and herbs for a flavor creation of your own.

Ingredients

• 1 fresh ripe pineapple cubed
  
• 1-10 chilies of your choice. Sliced down the side
  
• 1 large handful of fresh basil
  
• 2 teaspoons of Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
  
• 1 cup plain water kefir **
  
• 1 cup filtered water
  

Directions

• Cut the pineapple in cubes
  
• Slice the tops off the chilies, or the sides if you want spicier!
  
• Put the chilies in the jar
  
• Layer the pineapple and basil
  
• In a measuring cup put in the salt and water kefir, mix this well
• Pour the liquid over the pineapple, then top up with filtered water

Let sit for 2-5 days, until the pinapple has a slightly fizzy and flavorful taste.  Stores well in the fridge.

The jar in the photo has a 'valve' on top to let the gas out, you can use any glass jar or fermenting container, just be sure to 'burp' 1-2x a day to let the gas out.

Eat it plain, cut and serve as a condiment, cut it up into salsa, blend it and use it to spice up a drink or dish!

** NOTE:  If you don't have water kefir, just ferment in a 2% brine solution (2% salt for the amount of water you add) this works great as well!  You can always add more salt to taste after it is done.