Why fermented foods are popular at Mumbai’s eateries - Hindustan Times
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Why fermented foods are popular at Mumbai’s eateries

ByPhorum Dalal, Mumbai
Apr 06, 2017 04:55 PM IST

Fermentation, the ancient technique that allows bacteria to break down complex chemicals, is finding new applications at eateries across the city

After every fight, Dara Singh, the late Indian wrestler, would devour nearly one-and-a-half kg of jalebis and a litre of milk, claims chef Bhairav Singh from InterContinental, Marine Drive. The wrestler ate jalebis as an instant source of energy, just like many other athletes in those times.

Fermented cabbage sauerkraut(Photo courtesy: iStock)
Fermented cabbage sauerkraut(Photo courtesy: iStock)

“Jalebis are made by mixing flour and chaas (buttermilk), and leaving the dough in a muslin cloth for four days, to allow heat from the sun and cool morning dew to ferment it,” adds Singh.

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Read: Going against the grain: Why Mumbai’s eateries are turning gluten-free

While it may be an age-old technique, fermentation is gaining popularity at city eateries thanks to its health benefits and the unique flavour it imparts.

Restaurant menus across the world are factoring the trend for foods that are good for the gut, as well as flavourful, thus turning to this age-old technique. “Without fermentation, we wouldn’t have curd, beer or bread,” food historian and archaeologist Kurush Dalal points out, adding that use of soya bean sauce, a common ingredient in Asian food, dates back 2,500 to 3,500 years.

Pork Belly Buns with fermented kimchi and apple butter at One Street Over (Photo courtesy: One Street Over )
Pork Belly Buns with fermented kimchi and apple butter at One Street Over (Photo courtesy: One Street Over )

How it began

The roots of fermentation go back to Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old tradition that emphasises on the medicinal properties in food. “Allowing bacteria, yeast or other microorganisms to chemically break down a substance had two benefits — aiding digestion by predigesting food, and preserving perishable items,” says Singh.

The fact that it was a reliable method to preserve food also made fermentation popular. The summers you spent watching your grandmother make pickles was actually anaerobic fermentation in brine or vinegar in progress.

Pointing out the three biological energies or types of human bodies — Vata, Pita, Kapha — as per Ayurveda, Singh explains that fermented foods are recommended for Vata body types. However, Pita body types are recommended to avoid them as the acidity levels are high, while Kapha body types can consume it in small quantities.”

Beetroot and pickled pear feta salad at Olive (Photo courtesy: Olive )
Beetroot and pickled pear feta salad at Olive (Photo courtesy: Olive )

Kitchen confidential

An interest in Asian-style cooking has seen chefs experimenting with miso (a fermented Japanese seasoning made from soybean), a side dish of kimchi vegetables and pickled condiments to achieve deeper flavours.

The modern practice of fermenting picked up around five years ago, when Noma, a two-Michelin-star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, came into the limelight for its preservation techniques. “Located in Copenhagen and serving Nordic cuisine, fresh ingredients — mostly fish — were available only for a few months in a year, so the need to preserve food was a necessity. The buzz around the technique attracted a lot of attention,” says Rishim Sachdeva, executive chef at Olive.

Sachdeva has a miso in the making which he will age for a year-and-a-half. “I cook in fermented liquids, like whey from cheese and yoghurt, as they are good for the gut,” he says.

Fermented blue cheese chicken tikka at Jeon (Photo courtesy: Jeon)
Fermented blue cheese chicken tikka at Jeon (Photo courtesy: Jeon)

When chef Alex Sanchez was growing up in the US, the menus at restaurants were all about fresh food. “Today, when you read a menu, in any part of the world, you’ll find every ingredient is pickled,” he says.

Sanchez, the executive chef of The Table and Magazine Street Kitchen, says this newfound focus on fermentation is not only for health reasons but for that unique pop of flavours. “Acidity in food is exciting, as it adds a certain complexity to the taste,” he says.

To add layers of flavour to vegetarian dishes, Sanchez relies on fermentation. Last year, while cooking for a steakhouse dinner, he created yuzu kosho, a Japanese condiment made from citrus ingredients such as oranges and lemons. He added a low-salt brine, enough to kill bad bacteria but not enough to kill the good strains. “By the end of the week, what we give is an explosive and spicy flavour, which I now serve with grilled Bhavnagri chillies. The condiment works well with oysters too,” he says.

Fermented drink Kombucha at Bastian (Photo courtesy: Bastian )
Fermented drink Kombucha at Bastian (Photo courtesy: Bastian )

Apart from its health benefits, fermentation also adds the element of umami to the final dish, “that savoury flavour after salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes”.

While some people may not appreciate the smell or taste of fermented food, it has its fans. Chef Floyd Cardoz of The Bombay Canteen at Lower Parel and Paowalla in New York, sums up the appeal: “Pickled fish has a funk (I wouldn’t use the word stinky). And you don’t know why but you can’t stop eating. Pit it against processed food, and tell me what you’ll crave more.”

Live culture

In Indian cuisine, most fermented foods are cooked. For example — a dosa batter or leavened dough is used to make bread. Among the few foods that have an active culture are dahi (curd) and kanji (rice porridge). “We tend to cook things instead of consuming it raw,” explains wellness chef Moina Oberoi.

Oberoi applies the technique to ferment milk with kefir culture, a bacteria fermentation starter to make a nutrient probiotic drink. Another fizzy drink that is available is the Kombucha, made with a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). It breaks down sugar to produce alcohol, releasing a carbonated fizz in the process.

Oberoi leaves us with an interesting fact: “We are 10 parts microbe and one part human.” So, it’s probably no surprise that the age-old technique will remain integral to our eating habits.

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