by bjdmytro on Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:05 am
I've never worked with black beans or chickpeas, but I use either soybeans (tediously splitting them by hand) or what ever split legume I can get my hands on. I've been working with splits peas lately. When ever my tempeh has been slimy, falls apart, etc. it is usually due to too much moisture. A good assessment to do when prepping you beans is to give it the paper towel test. If you put some of the beans on a paper towel and it wicks up any moisture, then your beans are too wet. Depending on your cooking method, this can sometimes be fixed with a hair dryer, but if you over boil your beans the hair dryer won't help. This has also happened when my incubation temperature went out of the 85F-95F range or if I didn't ventilate the CO2 out enough. My current incubator is an Excalibur dehydrator being controlled by a thermostat: Inkbird Itc-308 Digital Temperature Controller Outlet Thermostat, 2-stage, 1100w, w/ Sensor.
Lately, I like working with the split legumes. Starting with dry, organic split peas, I first rinse and drain them about 5 times, until the water comes off clear. Then, I soak for 8 hours. Next, they get one more rinse. Then, to cook them, I put them in a large steamer pot. Once the steam is rising through the beans, I steam them for about 10-15 minutes. They will be al dente at this point, but they soften up a lot when the fungus grows on them, otherwise the cakes end up as mush if the beans are overcooked. I pull the steamer tray out and let it dry off for a moment before putting them into a bowl. Then I add my vinegar and blow dry them with the hot setting on a hair dryer, stirring until they will pass the paper towel test. Next, I verify the temperature is below 105F, add the starter, and put into my bags. I've tried different fermentation times with this method, and about 30 hours seems to yield the best texture.