Join the culture club
I’ll admit it, I’ve had my kombucha moment. Actually, it’s kind of still going on. I’m sure you’ve tried kombucha too, that tart, slightly intense drink studded with hints of ginger and lemon, or roses and thyme, or the tears of a unicorn. Well, some brands really do push the otherworldliness a little harder than the rest.
But the science behind why kombucha is so darned tasty comes back to one of the most important principles in cookery — the power of fermentation.
Back in antiquity, fermenting was pursued as a means of extending the shelf-life of otherwise perishable foods, and in the case of other foods, it made them safe to eat or capable of being metabolised.
At heart, the process is a miniaturised and rather analogue chemistry experiment where microorganisms go to work on the fibres and sugars in the ingredients being fermented, causing complex chemical changes to take place.
Yet perhaps the most interesting of these changes are the ones that affect flavour. After all, in our modern world the quest for taste is as relevant a culinary pursuit as is eating for the sake of survival.
Sugars are acidified, amino acids bond to become proteins, esters are born and large molecular-weight molecules with only nominal aroma transform into small and vastly more complex molecules with intense flavours.
While there is no shortage of artisanal and boutique fermented foods turning up on the market, many of the most important ones are just the things we eat and drink every day. Think wine, beer, cheese, yoghurt, bread, gherkins, fish sauce,
Tabasco, miso, kimchi and sauerkraut, just to name a few.
All of these foods are powerfully enjoyable, and are rightly celebrated. It’s partly due to the way we characterise them through culture, but mostly because of that other culture, you know, that funky little bit that brought them to life.
MISO-GLAZED BEEF RIBS
serves / 6
Ingredients
2kg beef spare ribs
2 red onions, finely diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
6cm piece ginger, grated
1 tsp ground Szechuan pepper 2 tbsp sesame oil
3 cups IPA beer
200g yellow miso paste 200g dark brown sugar
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Pickles and grilled bread, to serve
Method
1. Arrange the beef ribs in a large steamer set over a pot of boiling water and cook for 2½ hours, until tender. Set aside for 15 minutes to dry.
2. Fry the onions, garlic, ginger and Szechuan pepper in sesame oil for 5 minutes, until softened, then add the beer, miso and sugar. Boil rapidly for 20 minutes, to reduce by one quarter. Pour over the beef ribs and stand for 1 hour.
3. Remove the ribs from the marinade, season generously with salt and pepper, then arrange over a low-moderate barbecue grill. Cook for 10 minutes, turning several times, basting with the marinade, until glossy and lightly charred. Serve immediately with the pickles and grilled bread.
ALL OF THESE FOODS ARE POWERFULLY ENJOYABLE, AND ARE RIGHTLY CELEBRATED.