Where Does Malaysia Stand in the Funky World of Fermented Foods?
Our resident fermentation geek speaks to Pun’s Ice Cream, Canvass and Nadodi about how they apply one of the world’s oldest forms of food preservation techniques to their dishes and drinks
We’d say it’s gaining momentum and these three eateries tell us why
What comes to your mind when you hear the words ‘fermented foods’? Gherkins? Kimchi? Pickled chillies? Well, you wouldn’t be wrong, but there is more to fermentation than just tangy condiments. Beyond the regular pickled vegetable, a lot of what we consume today is fermented. Cocoa beans are left to ferment under the sun before being processed into Hershey bars. Soy sauce is made with a fermented mixture of soybeans and grain. Fermented milk is what gives you tangy yogurt and creamy cheese.
WHAT EXACTLY IS FERMENTATION ?
In short, fermentation is essentially the controlled decay of food. By allowing ‘good’ microbes to thrive, it inhibits the growth of ‘bad’ bacteria that would normally cause unwanted rot and mould.
Fermentation allows us to transform the food that we have today into wild and exciting flavours that cannot be found anywhere else. The alcohol that we find in beers and wines, the carbon dioxide that accounts for the holes in sourdough loaves or the fizziness in kombucha, and the sharp taste that we get from cornichons are just some of the by-products of good microbes when they are left to feast on food.
WHY DO WE FERMENT?
To call fermentation a new concept would be erroneous, since mankind has been practising it for more than 10,000 years. In the days before refrigerators and artificial preservatives, fermentation was the best way to make food last through a dreaded
cold winter or an unexpected drought. In this day and age, however, things are a little different.
“We ferment because the juicy fat of a frankfurter is that much better when it is cut with bright, crunchy sauerkraut, because a cold effervescent kombucha is incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day and because miso soup warms our souls in the winter. We ferment because gooey cheese, bright vinaigrettes, luxurious champagne and crunchy sourdough bread are all delicious,” says David Zilber, former head of fermentation at Noma.
No longer do we ferment to ensure the summer harvest lasts the whole year. Today, we ferment to add unexpected, exciting flavours and textures to food and to bring out new taste experiences that we wouldn’t find in regular fresh produce.
Curious as to how this age-old practice is regaining momentum in the Klang Valley, we spoke to a few eateries to find out why they incorporate fermentation in their menus and how exactly they are doing so.
PUN’S ICE CREAM
Although Pun’s Ice Cream does not have a fixed fermentation schedule in place, they do devote a good amount of their time to it. More than just a way to add complex flavours to their already intriguing dishes, fermentation plays an important role in reducing food waste.
Their current menu revolves around burgers, most of which include elements from their fermentation agenda. Their ‘A-maize-ing’ burger features fermented black lentils and rice, folded with corn. Don’t be surprised if you also find fermented chilies in their ‘Hot Dayum’ chicken burger or even traces of black garlic in your ‘Hunny Biskies’.
NADODI
The tasting menu at Nadodi sees familiar fermented foods, namely dosa and idli. But it is on the Liquid Degustation Menu where the funky stuff truly shines. Water kefir, kvass, tepache, kombucha and ginger beer are just some of the things that head bartender Akshar Chalwadi brews behind the bar. The ‘Rose To The Occasion’ cocktail with Diplomatico Planas rum and Mancino Secco vermouth is topped off with a rose kombucha, which enlivens the otherwise saccharine drink.
The addition of fermented drinks to the tipples at Nadodi doesn’t just imbue fascinating flavours but also sensations. Effervescence, tanginess, piquancy and pleasant astringency add dimension, and are responsible for turning cocktails from a simple drink into an experience. There is just something tremendously exciting in knowing that the cocktail you are sipping is alive.
CANVASS
“Fermentation is both faith and optimism for the future,” says Nikolaj Lenz, head chef of Canvass. There is always some risk in taking fresh ingredients (for Canvass this means ethically sourced local ingredients), putting them in bottles, and expecting them to taste great a month or two later. But Lenz believes that the effort is worthwhile, and the 40 over bottles of ferments in their kitchen is proof of this. Basil stems, unwanted tomatoes and leftover milk are up-cycled to become surprise elements in their menu. Fermenting allows them to not only use more ingredients, but more than an ingredient, it goes handin-hand with their ethos: Sustainable Hedonism.