Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

I learned that the fenugreek puts off a

gas that ferments the beans and rice.

The people from India have been using

fenugreek forever to ferment and of

course the natural benefits of the seeds

in tea.

Plus the herb is very not pricey to buy.

I bought mine from a store on the web that sells

bulk foods and herbs. They are too expensive here on

my island.

Aniya

[Guest guest]

I don't know why, but I'm really excited about your findings. Maybe because my

sourdough starter died? I really like fenugreek, too. I can't wait to hear how

the cooking of the dosas differ.

Jasmin

Heidi <heidis@...> wrote:

OK, so based on folk's comments here, I did

a batch of 1 cup rice, 1 cup red beans, soaked,

then pureed with some kefir beer (since I don't

do yogurt).

---------------------------------

goes everywhere you do. Get it on your phone.

[Guest guest]

Since you folks are so much more informed than I, I had to look up Dosas :-)

Sounds great, I am anxious to try.

http://www.bawarchi.com/cookbook/dosa.html

Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

I don't know why, but I'm really excited about your findings. Maybe because my

sourdough starter died? I really like fenugreek, too. I can't wait to hear how

the cooking of the dosas differ.

Jasmin

Heidi <heidis@...> wrote:

OK, so based on folk's comments here, I did

a batch of 1 cup rice, 1 cup red beans, soaked,

then pureed with some kefir beer (since I don't

do yogurt).

---------------------------------

goes everywhere you do. Get it on your phone.

[Guest guest]

Harpazo Hope wrote:

> I don't know why, but I'm really excited about your findings. Maybe

> because my sourdough starter died? I really like fenugreek, too. I

> can't wait to hear how the cooking of the dosas differ.

>

> Jasmin

Well, we cooked some today.

The fenugreek and not fenugreek cooked

identically. My dd doesn't like the taste

of the fenugreek though, so I'd guess we won't

use it as much in the future. It really does change

how it ferments though!

I'm also thinking that if you DO use fenugreek, you could just

grind it into the mix in the first step rather than sprinkling it

on top? That would save a step.

This batch didn't ferment as long as my black beans

did, and it tasted a little " beany " . I am using

red beans though, not black beans or lentils. I'm going to

ferment them for a day or more longer and see what

happens. They don't taste " sourdoughish " yet at all.

Or yeasty, and I want that yeasty taste!

However, the TEXTURE is amazing. We put them in the

crepe maker, and got the thinnest crepes ever, and they

are sturdy too. If they cook a long time, they get very

crispy, otherwise they go from crepe to tortilla in

consistency. The rice gives them a " shiny " appearance,

like rice crackers.

Which IS really amazing. I mean, here is a tortilla/crepe

with NO xanthan gum, no eggs, no dairy, no special flours,

and minimal preparation time! (and no baker's yeast,

for that matter). And, if I read it right, you get the

low-glycemic bit from the beans without the digestive

issues (I'd guess the lectins are disabled too, during

a long ferment? It's a good question).

I added some rice flour to some of it to make a pasty

dough, and am letting it rise to see how it does as bread.

If fermenting them longer doesn't work to get rid of

the beany taste, I'll try the black beans again, and

then lentils.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

The link did not come through. Please repost1

Connie

Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Uh, here it is again WITH the link:

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=31133

-- Heidi

Heidi wrote:

>

> Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

> to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

>

> -- Heidi

>

[Guest guest]

Wow!

Connie

Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

Uh, here it is again WITH the link:

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=31133

-- Heidi

Heidi wrote:

>

> Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

> to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

>

> -- Heidi

>

[Guest guest]

Fenugreek..so how does this work...how does the Fenugreek ferment the rice/bean

mixture...is it only the fenugreek/bean combination?

I suspect that the Fenugreek maybe acting as anti-bacterial agents and

inhibiting the bad bacteria from growing...same idea as putting salt or all

spice..many people use all spice in pickle fermentation...

Heidi <heidis@...> wrote:

Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

kefir king wrote:

> Fenugreek..so how does this work...how does the Fenugreek ferment the

> rice/bean mixture...is it only the fenugreek/bean combination?

>

> I suspect that the Fenugreek maybe acting as anti-bacterial agents

> and inhibiting the bad bacteria from growing...same idea as putting

> salt or all spice..many people use all spice in pickle fermentation...

I think you are right. Some of the other recipes don't use fenugreek,

but they add some salt to the mix.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

OK, well, I *guess* I got the ultimate complement today.

My " just don't tell me what's in it " daughter thrust a recipe card

in front of me with the speech:

" Mom ... no offense, but just in case something happens

to you, COULD YOU PLEASE WRITE DOWN EXACTLY

HOW YOU DID THAT!!!! " .

Suffice to say my " Dosa dough " (as we are calling it) lasted

about 12 hours. It made crepes, a loaf of bread, and

something like Egg Foo Young (whatever they called

it on that link I sent earlier).

For the crepes, we just did the dosa thing ... poured it

on a griddle.

For bread, we added a bit of xanthan and some sweet

rice flour till it was about like toothpaste, then let it rise.

This turned into a very nice, moist, and robust bread

that didn't get crumbly when it sat out. I didn't make much

though, so I need to repeat that one!

For Egg Foo Young, I added 2 eggs to about a cup

of the Dosa Dough, and a bunch of chopped vegies

(mushrooms and sweet peppers, it's what was handy,

I was out of onions ... to one I added a fish filet, which

was good too) and fried til crisp on both sides (which

takes a long time, so you have to be patient). That was

an easy dinner: with some Thai sauce it tasted like

something you'd get at a good Chinese place. Everyone

had 3rds.

Soooo ... FWIW, this recipe seems to have

the " yummy factor " in spades. It's awfully easy,

but I'm guessing the fermentation step makes it

yummier than usual. Here is what I did:

2 cups rice

1 cup beans (red beans, in this case)

Let soak a day. (could go for 2 days, if you don't have time, but change

the water).

Rinse.

Run through the blender with a little kefir beer,

plus whatever water it takes to get it to blend (it was about like

buttermilk dressing).

Let it ferment at least 12 hours (I would have preferred longer, but

like I said, it got et).

Then you can store it, I think, in the fridge, but that experiment

remains to be tried. I didn't add salt, but I think I might

next time.

Some other notes: 1 cup rice to 1 cup beans was " too beany " for me.

Might be better with lentils though, they are easier on the palate (and

digestion).

Also, this is VERY filling. I mean, it's yummy, but one crepe filled

me up for many hours, which is unusual for a starchy food. I expect

that the fermentation step changes the glycemic factor (yay! Another

experiment!), or maybe it's the beans.

Mucho kudos (fusion talk) to all those ancient Asian cultures

who invented this!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Heidi

Did you sprinkle the Fenugreek on the rice/bean or mix the Table

spoon with the mixture? or was it 1 Teaspoon :-)

> > Dosas:

> >

> > 1 cup of rice

> > 1 cup of lentils ( can use red lentils, lima beans also)

> >

> > 1 cup of yogurt ( if using instead of fenugreek)

> > 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds ( sprinkle on top

> > of batter)

> >

> > I used 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning to the mix

> > above to flavor one batch and it tasted like Thanksgiving

> > dressing or the stove top flavor if any one has ever tasted

> > this boxed food.

> > My family loved them the best.

> >

> > I live in Hawaii,and my rooms are range from 70 winter

> > to 80 degrees spring and summer.

> >

> > After soaking beans and rice, drain the water out and then

> > put into my cuisinart. Be careful regular blenders may not

> > be able to grind them fine enough.

> > If the batter was too thick I would add about 1/4 cup water to

> > make the batter thinner while blending. You want your batter

just

> > pourable.

> > ( You can buy special grinders on the web at the

> > web sites that sell from India the brands they use.)

> > I found Cuisinart to work for me.

>

[Guest guest]

kefir_king wrote:

> Heidi

> Did you sprinkle the Fenugreek on the rice/bean or mix the Table

> spoon with the mixture? or was it 1 Teaspoon :-)

>

I sprinkled 1 tablespoon on top, just let it set there.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Wow! That egullet site is something else. Same for it's photos of India

and it's breads

Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

>

> Uh, here it is again WITH the link:

>

> http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=31133

>

> -- Heidi

>

> Heidi wrote:

>>

>> Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

>> to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

>>

>> -- Heidi

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I like the name too! " egullet " ... what more can you say?

-- Heidi

zz618@... wrote:

> Wow! That egullet site is something else. Same for it's photos of India

> and it's breads

>

> ==================

>

>

> >

> > Uh, here it is again WITH the link:

> >

> > http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=31133

> >

> > -- Heidi

> >

> > Heidi wrote:

> >>

> >> Here is another site ... has all kinds of info on how

> >> to make various breads with a ton of pictures!

> >>

> >> -- Heidi

> >>

> >

[Guest guest]

Connie,

I think you have a bit of over kill.

You do not need both kefired cider and fenugreek.

Why are you using defired cider in your beans? Is

this to soften them quicker?

Fenugreek is for fermenting after the beans have been

soaked and ground in to fine meal.

Aniya

[Guest guest]

Heidi wrote:

>OK, so based on folk's comments here, I did

>a batch of 1 cup rice, 1 cup red beans, soaked,

>then pureed with some kefir beer (since I don't

>do yogurt).

>[...]

Great stuff, Heidi! And that egullet link is brilliant! We now have a

bowl of urad dal / arborio rice blend on the go, but without

inoculation; if it doesn't start fermenting, I'll let it " learn " from my

sourdough starter

>This has, I think, amazing implications. The beans I

>fermented were soooo yummy, but tasted like

>they should be in a bready thing, not in a bean dish.

>The GF flours commonly have beans, which

>makes for great texture, but they are

>uncooked, unfermented beans which is problematic.

>These fermented beans are just wonderful, both from

>a culinary and a nutritional standpoint. And cost.

>A big bag of beans costs next to nothing, same with

>rice, while GF flours are pricy. I gotta figure out

>how to make bean French Bread ... the taste is there,

>now all I need is the shape!

Indeed, which is where my wife's thinking was headed - and we always

have a variety of dried beans and lentils around, so...

Oh yeah, and the chickpea version (dhokla) is next!

--

Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia

" Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll learn "

- The Wee Book of Calvin

[Guest guest]

Jasmin (Harpazo Hope) wrote:

>I don't know why, but I'm really excited about your findings. Maybe

>because my sourdough starter died? [...]

Jasmin, I gave up keeping my sourdough starters going because they all

seemed to go vinegary if I didn't keep feeding them a couple of times

every day. Now, I just make up a fresh one a day or two before I need

it, starting it with a couple of kefir grains. I mix 1/2 cup of flour

with 1/2 cup of water, drop in the kefir grains, and set aside. Every 8

hours or so I feed it another 1/2 cup each of flour and water. I pull

the kefir grains out before the third feeding. Ready to use before 48

hours.

--

Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia

" Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll learn "

- The Wee Book of Calvin

[Guest guest]

Ross McKay <rosko@...> wrote:

Now, I just make up a fresh one a day or two before I need

it, starting it with a couple of kefir grains. I mix 1/2 cup of flour

with 1/2 cup of water, drop in the kefir grains, and set aside.

This sounds like a good plan. I liked the idea of having the starter going

because it made good pancakes every morning. I shouldn't be eating so many

grains anyway.

Jasmin

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

So we have had the fermented beans (those tiny little white ones from the

Indian store - I can't spell them - but when soaked they look like miniature

white beans) and a plain white rice. I used kefired cider and water and put

in the fenugreek - not a lot of action with the fenugreek, but they did sour

nicely. We made dosas with doro wat (Ethiopean chicken), I've used some for

just " pancakes " with maple syrup and there is enough left to make some

idilis tonight. This is a much " bready " er product than plain teff injera -

or my memory of wheat pancakes. Some how more satisfying - could be the

more balanced proteins.

Connie

Re: Whoa! Fenugreek! Was: Bean experiment

Heidi wrote:

>OK, so based on folk's comments here, I did

>a batch of 1 cup rice, 1 cup red beans, soaked,

>then pureed with some kefir beer (since I don't

>do yogurt).

>[...]

Great stuff, Heidi! And that egullet link is brilliant! We now have a

bowl of urad dal / arborio rice blend on the go, but without

inoculation; if it doesn't start fermenting, I'll let it " learn " from my

sourdough starter

>This has, I think, amazing implications. The beans I

>fermented were soooo yummy, but tasted like

>they should be in a bready thing, not in a bean dish.

>The GF flours commonly have beans, which

>makes for great texture, but they are

>uncooked, unfermented beans which is problematic.

>These fermented beans are just wonderful, both from

>a culinary and a nutritional standpoint. And cost.

>A big bag of beans costs next to nothing, same with

>rice, while GF flours are pricy. I gotta figure out

>how to make bean French Bread ... the taste is there,

>now all I need is the shape!

Indeed, which is where my wife's thinking was headed - and we always

have a variety of dried beans and lentils around, so...

Oh yeah, and the chickpea version (dhokla) is next!

--

Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia

" Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll learn "

- The Wee Book of Calvin

[Guest guest]

>

>

> This sounds like a good plan. I liked the idea of having the starter

> going because it made good pancakes every morning. I shouldn't be

> eating so many grains anyway.

>

> Jasmin

Keep it in the fridge. It lasts a fair amount of time that way,

and you can use it whenever. Same for any sourdough starter.

-- Heidi

>

>