Bean-chi by Greti

@fermentarium

Fermented greenbeans with Polenta from Fermentarium Association.

Ingredients

• Green/yellow beans in pods
• 50 g ginger
• 30 g garlic
• 200 g apple
• 30 g onion
• 20 g salt
• 30 g gochugaru (chili powder)
• 50 ml soy sauce
• 15 g rice flour cooked
• 120 g water (as a thickener)

Instructions

1. If you are using fresh, young beans they do not need to be cooked. If the beans are a bit old is good to cook them for a few seconds.
2. Wash the green beans {quantity depends on the size of your jar) in salty water (5-6% salt) and leave them submerged for a few hours.
3. After this, wash them once again with non-salty water and paint them with the chi sauce.
4. For the chi sauce, mix the remaining ingredients in a Thermomix or blender. Cut some green leaves from spring onions, parsley, chard, or arugula, depending on your preference, into small (but not too small) pieces. Incorporate these in the fermentation vessel at the end.
5. Arrange in your fermentation vessel so that the air between the layers is at a minimum. Close the lid of the vessel tightly and leave it out at room temperature for a few days to start the fermentation before moving it somewhere colder (max. 15°C) or putting it in the refrigerator.
6. The fermentation will continue, the texture will change, and the flavour will become ripe and harmonious. A minimum of 6 weeks of fermentation time is needed before they are ready to be consumed. The umami taste and smell will be easy to recognize after that period of time.
7. When you open the jar and take out some of the beans, take care to close the vessel and keep out any airborne or surface contaminants.