The spoils of fermentation

A workshop will dissect the basics of a technique that helps retain good bacteria without spoiling food

Despite its enviable food culture, India doesn't have a rich history of fermented cuisine. The simple reason for this is that given our hot and humid climate, we tend to cook all our dishes before they get spoilt. Yes, the batter for certain items like idli and dosa is indeed fermented. But even these are later cooked, meaning that all the bacteria in it is killed before consumption.

But not all bacteria is bad. There is the concept of good bacteria in food, which helps in digestion and in cleaning your guts among other things. Fermentation helps retain these, apart from preserving the food for longer. And that's why it's a technique that's commonly used across the world, from Korea in the east — where kimchi is a staple part of the diet — to Germany, famous for its sauerkraut.

Kombucha

Now, a workshop at an experimental cooking space in Khar will help both beginners and those with some experience dissect the entire process. In it, fermentation experts Moina Oberoi and Shonali Sabherwal will talk about the basics of making items including tepache — a partially fermented Mexican drink made with pineapple, water and brown sugar — and kefir, which is a fermented milk drink, apart from the papaya kimchi and sauerkraut. The masterclass will end with Nitin Gandhi delivering a guest talk and giving a demo lesson on preparing kombucha, a fermented and slightly alcoholic tea drink that is wildly popular in Japan.

A cocktail made of tepache

"The basics that we will be covering include understanding what it is that makes bacteria work for you, making it beneficial both in flavour and for health. We will also make the participants understand the difference between spoilage and enhancement of food.

Moina Oberoi

And the other thing is to make them realise the importance of time, because I always say that the main ingredient in all these recipes is time. That's because after you finish everything that needs to be done [in terms of adding flavour], there is nothing we can do to make the actual process of fermentation happen. The food has to do it on its own, and that means you need a firm grasp on the concept of time," Oberoi says, explaining how, when fermenting food, you need to keep a hawk eye on the clock.

ON October 27, 2 pm to 4.30 pm
AT Flavour Diaries, Rohan Plaza, Khar West 
CALL 9820143404
COST Rs 1,500

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