Feb 02 , 2022
Lacto-fermented Green Beans
Ingredients:
- Approx 400g green beans
- 1 tablespoon (15g) sea salt
- 100ml boiling water
- 400ml cold filtered water
- 2 T cultured whey*
- 3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly crushed
- 2-3 sprigs of dill or fennel fronds
Method:
- Have your tall jar (jars) and lid thoroughly clean, rinsed with hot water and air dried ready to go.
- Add beans to a pan of boiling water, blanch for 2 minutes, drain and refresh in cold water.
- Place the salt into a jug and add 100ml of boiling water, stir to dissolve, then add cold water.
- Set the jar on its side and pack snugly with the whole beans (cut to fit if needed). Layer in the garlic and dill as you pack the beans. Pour over the salt brine to completely cover the beans, coming to within1 cm from the top of the jar. You don't want the beans to float to the surface, so make sure they are firmly packed. Secure the lid. If there is extra brine, set aside for topping up the jar later if needed.
- Sit the jar on a small plate and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Open the lid once a day to release any pressure. The brine may bubble over a little during fermentation; if so, top up with the reserved brine to 1 cm from the top of the jar keeping the beans submerged.
- Once the beans have changed colour to a muted green and the brine is opaque, transfer to the fridge. Wait a week before eating for the sour flavour to develop. Store the lacto-beans in the fridge and consume within two months. Can be used any way you would use a pickled vegetable, like a gherkin or added to salads
- * To obtain whey, strain natural unsweetened yoghurt (cow, goat or coconut) through a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. Over several hours the liquid whey will drip out as the yoghurt thickens. Keep whey in a jar in the fridge and use within two weeks.
Recipe Credit: Nicola Galloway's article, NZ Gardener, January 2022.