Fermented black beans are great for a tasty snack or side dish. Brewing them at home is a surprisingly simple procedure. Just cook and season them, then put them to ferment in an airtight jar. At the end of the process you will have some exquisite fermented beans all to taste.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cook and Season the Beans
Step 1. Soak the beans for 24 hours
Put the black beans in the warm water and store them in a warm place in the house. For example, if the hottest place in the house is the kitchen, pour the beans into a bowl filled with warm water and keep them in this area. To ferment the beans, they must be left to soak for at least 24 hours before cooking them.
You need to use dried beans instead of canned for the procedure
Step 2. Cook the beans on low in plenty of water
Spend 24 hours, drain the beans with a colander, then put them to cook. Pour some water over the beans. There are no exact doses of liquid, but in principle it is better to abound. At least make sure you cover the legumes.
Bring the beans to a boil to cook them. Let them boil for 10 minutes before turning the heat down to low. Simmer them for 40-60 minutes
Step 3. Add some spices
Choose the spices you prefer and use the amount you want. Black beans usually go well with spices like garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, and fresh herbs.
Part 2 of 3: Ferment the Beans in a Jar
Step 1. Add your favorite crop
Crops promote fermentation. You should calculate about 1 tablespoon of culture for each cup of beans. The crops can be found online or in health food stores. One of the following will work for fermenting black beans:
- Whey culture;
- Powder starter culture;
- Kombucha;
- Brine of lactofermented vegetables.
Step 2. Break the peel
Once the culture is incorporated, gently mash the beans with a spoon. This will break the skins slightly and gently bruise the legumes. This will allow the crop to penetrate well into the beans, reaching starch. The culture can then transform starch into probiotics.
Step 3. Store the beans in a jar
The beans are left to ferment for several days in order to complete the process. Look for an airtight container, such as a jar. Fill it with the beans and close the lid tightly. Put the jars in a warm, secluded place in the house.
Step 4. Release the gas as needed
Keep an eye on the jars during the fermentation process. If the lids swell, this means that too much gas has accumulated in the containers. Open the containers that have this feature to let the gas escape and close them once again.
Check the beans a couple of times a day to see if any gas has built up
Part 3 of 3: Eating and Storing Fermented Beans
Step 1. Add fermented beans to salads and sauces
Fermented beans can be used to garnish salads to make them more nutritious. You can also mash them into a rich and tasty dip, to be served with snacks like tortilla chips.
Fermented beans can also be eaten on their own as a snack
Step 2. Store the beans the right way
Once fermented, you can store them in the airtight containers you used for the procedure. Keep them in the fridge.
Step 3. Discard the beans after 6 months
Note the date when saving them. This way you will know when to throw them away. Fermented beans typically only last about 6 months.