Welcoming Ferments by Norah to Our Blog
We are so thrilled to feature a guest blog written by Ferments by Norah’s very own, Norah Ylang. Ben and Virginia first connected with Norah almost two years ago when Norah was looking for an organic soybean source for her home kitchen in Arizona. Fast forward to October of 2020, Ben and Virginia participated via Zoom in one of Norah’s fantastic global fermentation workshops learning how to make tempeh. Norah picks up the story…Thank you Norah!
Plant-based Resolutions
If one of your new year’s resolutions is to make more plant-based choices, consider tempeh! I’m not talking about the vacuum-packed and sealed packages in the meat alternative section of your grocery store but fermenting your own at home for freshness and quality. Originally from Indonesia, traditional tempeh is made by inoculating cooked soybeans with Rhizopus mold spores which forms a mycelium that binds the soybeans together. The resulting tempeh resembles a patty or nougat that can be prepared in a myriad of ways, from stir-fries to soaking up flavors in curries.
Growing up in my native Singapore, delicious tempeh snacks were easily available at Indonesian or Malay food stalls and it never occurred to me to make my own until a few years after moving to the US. My dissatisfaction with store bought tempeh led me to attempt making my own as a personal challenge and I was pleasantly surprised I succeeded! Watching the entire fermentation process with my eyes and knowing that I was the one who facilitated it instilled a great sense of pride and confidence that I could master more ferments.
Access to High Quality Soybeans in the U.S.
However, one lesson for me has been in improving my own understanding of food access in this country. The lack of good-quality soybean options in stores surprised me given that soybeans represent the second largest crop grown in the United States. I soon learned that a majority of American soy is consumed by livestock and took my search for soybeans online, which is how I connected with the awesome duo Virginia and Ben of Firefly Fields. Non-GMO and organic soybeans in manageable small-bulk bags instead of bushels for customers? YES!
Sharing the Science & Craft of Fermented Foods
As I became more experienced in fermentation, I began hosting workshops to teach people the science and craft of making fermented foods and drinks. It is my pride and joy to know that my participants’ tempeh, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt, turns out delicious and healthy for themselves and their loved ones. I enjoy demystifying the process behind these ferments and am constantly researching and expanding my fermentation repertoire with new varieties of tempeh and soy-based ferments such as miso and shoyu. As I emphasize to my workshop participants, the science informs the craft and successful fermentation is informed by an appreciation for both sides of the same coin.
Fermentation education is an important mission to me because as cliched as it sounds, knowledge is power and guiding participants to handcraft their own ferments is a form of self-empowerment in an age of instant gratification and processed foods. I personally find it rewarding and a privilege to support participants throughout their fermentation journey; the operative word here being ‘journey’. A journey into new worlds of knowledge and culinary possibilities. A journey that is also interconnected with the food producers who perform the diligent work that makes high-quality ingredients accessible to us.
Full Circle Fermentation
Coming full circle from soybean customer to Firefly Field’s tempeh influencer, I was especially thrilled to host Virginia and Ben for my online workshop last October. Although social media is not usually perceived as a traditional vehicle of transmitting knowledge, Instagram was (and continues to be) instrumental as we posted updates on our tempeh preparation and development in Instagram Stories. Their tempeh took four and a half days to fully sporulate in chilly Michigan but they will tell you it was worth it 😊 If you’re now convinced to try making your own tempeh, all you need are soybeans (or other legumes/beans/grains), a little vinegar, and tempeh starter. See my tempeh recipe in the Firefly Fields Kitchen for step-by-step instructions on making tempeh and/or sign up for my next online tempeh workshop! More info on how to connect with Norah below.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful journey with us, Norah. We know you’ve just opened a new door to all kinds of food and flavors for us. We’ll never look at our beans and whole grains the same again. We think it’s worth mentioning how special the timing was to share this tempeh with Virginia’s parents, Archie and Mattie Jennings. It just so happened, we were harvesting soybeans out in the field the same day Archie and Mattie tasted their first tempeh from the soybeans they grew!
If you would like to learn more about fermentation at home, Norah has two upcoming workshop opportunities on February 6 and 7th. Norah is not only a passionate expert in fermentation, she’s also very warm and kind. She literally held our hand all the way through our fermentation experience making the leap into tempeh and other ferments so much easier. We highly recommend Norah!
Norah’s inaugural Koji Workshop, Feb 6: more information here
Norah’s next Tempeh Workshop, Feb 7: more information here
You can also connect with Norah on Facebook and Instagram. Here’s a link if you’re interested in a private workshop booking with Norah.
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