Aged Fermented Thai Red Curry Paste

How to know when old ferments are still good? That is a question many of ask when we find a jar we didn’t remember we had. Lost and found ferments are real. We all have ferments that slip quietly to the back of the fridge where they get forgotten. In the spirit of full utilization and not wasting food I want to help you figure out what is still good (and maybe even tastier!) and what should be thrown out.

How a ferment ages depends very much on what kind it is. The original ingredients will determine a lot about its longevity. Miso and other bean ferments generally keep aging and layering on flavor. These may have a layer of mold growing on them but underneath they are still safe. Vegetables are quite variable in that they can still be technically “good” but no longer vibrant. I find a sauerkraut that is over a year old is generally of this ilk. Whereas a chile pepper based ferment has compounds in it that give it years of delicious longevity. Check the last post about creating hot sauce from old fermented pepper pastes. I also find herbal ferments like basil or shiso have a much longer lifespan do to the constituents that make these herbs antimicrobial. To learn more about fermentation methods head to Fermentation School.

This fermented Thai Red Curry Paste is an example of a ferment that had both antimicrobial preservation ingredients and chiles. I found it recently in the recesses of the fridge. It was made in 2015. To be fair, not the daily fridge, one of the ferment fridges where things get “lost and found” often. This recipe is from Fiery Ferments and took inspiration from one of our favorite flavors and lacto-fermented it. Early in the ferment it doesn’t taste as good, it gets better with age.As the fermentation continued, the flavors blended and created a pleasing complex red curry flavor. So hence making it and putting it away for 6 months, um or 5 years. What do you do? Make curry. Below is the recipe for your enjoyment, go ahead hide it in the back of the fridge after it has fermented to discover later.

To evaluate your old ferment for “good” you will use your senses and trust your gut. Properly fermented the pH will have been below 4.0 this ensures that harmful bacteria will not live in the ferment. (You can test with a pH meter or test strips.) You will also know because it will be pleasingly acid — think pickles. If the ferment is still anaerobic (under the brine and no airpockets) then it is also a good sign. There may be yeast, even mold on top but that can be removed. As long as it is just on top and the rest is anaerobic it is fine. Then of course there is smell, does it still smell fine—not foul, putrid, musty or off? If so you can move to a small taste, this will give you a lot of information. It should taste fine. If it does not, then it is not.

RECIPE FOR FERMENTED THAI RED CURRY PASTE

Thai pastes are traditionally ground together with a mortar and pestle. We mention this because there is a texture difference: the fibers of lemongrass and roots don’t break down as much in a food processor, though the flavor will still be delicious.

3 tablespoons fresh lemongrass, chopped

1 medium shallot, or 4 tablespoons, chopped

9–10 diced Thai type small red chiles, deseeded, soaked, and drained

1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped, with root when possible

8 medium cloves garlic

2 tablespoons galangal, grated

1–2 kaffir limes (also called makrut limes,substitute regular limes if unavailable)

1/2 tablespoon kaffir lime zest (take care not to zest the bitter pith)

2 teaspoons kaffir lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Process all the ingredients to a paste consistency in a food processor. Sprinkle in the salt. It will become juicy immediately.

2. Pack the paste into a jar that is just the right size for your ferment, leaving at least an inch of headspace, release any air pockets as you press it in. The thick brine will be hard to distinguish from the rest of the paste.

3. Press a piece of parchment paper (or other cartouche) against the surface, being careful not to trap any air beneath it. Screw the lid down tightly.

4. Put the ferment in a corner of the kitchen to cure, and watch for air pockets forming in the paste. If you see them, open the lid and press the paste back down. If the lid starts to bulge, simply open it for a moment to “burp” the ferment.

Postcards from Yakima & Bellingham & Seattle

Historic art deco in Yakima on a post-demo stroll about town. Nice way to wrap up the Seattle portion of our book tour...

A first on this tour - a demo in the wild of sorts. It was a beautiful evening in Yakima outside Inklings Bookshop to talk ferments. Waiting for people to arrive is always the toughest part.

You know when you are in the Pacific Northwest when a Sasquatch makes the list of animals to avoid feeding on the trail.

Snoqualmie Falls was a great stop on our way from Bellingham to Yakima today. So incredible and so beautiful.

After a great evening with an engaged group at Village Books we took a long walk along the bay in Bellingham. This town has seduced us several times, such a beautiful place.

It is always a good sign when the bookstore you are going to speak at has something like this embedded in their walls for all to see. Here is to freedom wherever you call home.

We enjoyed getting to know an engaged group at a community-based bookstore. Photo courtesy of one of those engaged audience members, rainydaybees.com. I am not sure what Kirsten was explaining but she had my attention. Still learning...

Writing you these postcards from the Seattle Public Library with this view. This building is amazingly beautiful, as is the city itself.

Living in the country we never get to have breakfast at a French cafe in the city. This morning we did, in a corner window table, pondering it all and what's ahead of us.

First night, figuring out our game together. It's been a while since we shared the stage but whatever I am saying it seems to be amusing Kirsten. So far so good.

Make Basic Fermented Pepper Mash

Here is a look inside the pages of our pepper fermentation book Fiery Ferments. Make your own fermented pepper mash—the first step to many a delicious hot sauce. We created a video of this lacto fermentation hot sauce process as well.

Hot sauce is not all the same. You might think its just cholula hot sauce, crystal hot sauce or your favorite Louisiana hot sauce and if you are talking about what is available on your local store shelf maybe. But if you want to make hot sauce its a new world of opportunity. How do you make hot sauce? Its actually really easy and usually it starts with a pepper mash. Pepper mash fermentation is the key to a great hot sauce by developing the flavors of the peppers before acidifying with an acid like vinegar.

Check out our fermentation masterclass on fermented hot sauces. You will learn to ferment hot sauce with any pepper you love. Learning how to make hot sauce from scratch is fun. You can choose blazing hot or super mild peppers, fresh or dry and blend in other flavors. This fermentation class will teach you everything you need to make your own safe probiotic hot sauces. If you are new to fermentation and just trying to figure it out you might start with this article that helps you to understand it from the beginning—what is fermentation and what are the benefits of fermented foods like this basic pepper mash.