Chinese fermented black beans (douchi?)
Posted:
Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:05 amby Heidi
Has anyone out there made douchi? I found a thread about it here from several years ago, but it was not at all informative. The koji starter came with clear instructions on how to make the koji, but from there I only have a short passage from the Art of Fermentation that says to wash the beans, ferment in brine, possibly with sugar. How extensively should I wash the beans? How strong should I make the brine? How much sugar? Any insight would be much appreciated!
Re: Chinese fermented black beans (douchi?)
Posted:
Wed Mar 09, 2016 2:54 pmby schwevy
Hey, I know its been a while since you posted this but I am currently trying to make them and here is what I did so far.
1) Soaked black soybeans (what I had on hand) for 24 hours
2) Rinsed then boiled til soft on the Al Dente side.
3) Dusted with wheat flour and Aspergillus Oryzae which I calculated at 1 tsp per 3 kg beans. Aspergillus was in a capsule form in a dietary supplement for digestion.
4) Spread it out on top of a flour sack cloth or two and covered lightly with another such cloth.
5) Let it sit for a few days until green mold starts to show. There will be other colours of mold too.
6) Rinse beans off- According to Sandor Katz, leaving the mold on may make the final product bitter.
7) Soak in 20% brine for four to six months. I am unclear on whether the vessel should be closed firmly or with a cloth covering. Will let you know how it goes!