Cultured Living

05/09/2026

Toum is a bold, creamy garlic sauce and a staple of Lebanese cuisine, similar to Greek “skordalia” or Spainish “Aioli”. It requires only four ingredients - garlic, salt, oil and lemon juice - and a food processor or stick blender.

My toum is made with fermented garlic paste and liquid coconut oil (to avoid seed oils). My initial trial batches were made with olive oil and later avocado oil which were nice but gave a slightly bitter flavour. The liquid coconut oil gives the best result and has some great health benefits. It contains medium-chain triglycerides which provide rapid energy, supports weight management, helps produce brain-boosting ketones. MCTs also feature antimicrobial and antifungal properties that can support a healthy gut microbiome.

Locally grown garlic will soon be available so make sure you get hold of some and make yourself a big batch of fermented garlic cloves so you can regularly make some of this deliciousness. Those who struggle with eating garlic may find that fermented garlic is easier to digest.

I separate my garlic cloves and ferment them in brine with the skin on as it would take too long to remove the garlic skins if making a large batch. The garlic is fermented around three months by which time it will have turned a light brown colour and will be easy to blend into a paste. The skins can easily be removed before blending if wished but I often leave the skins on (more fibre).

This garlic sauce is great for stirring into soups and pasta, marinating chicken, tossing with roasted vegetables, with shawarma, baked potatoes, grilled meats, sandwiches, dip with crackers or vegetables, in salad dressing or used in wraps or in pita bread. It adds an energetic punch of garlic to anything without requiring the hassle of peeling and mincing and is a pungent vegan alternative to mayo.

15/08/2026

This is probably one of the best kimchis I have ever made….a bit more gochugaru spice than what I normally add but the main difference was the addition of pineapple instead of my usual nashi pear. The spice mixed with the sweetness of the pineapple was a great combination, one that will definitely be made again. Unfortunately I only made a one litre jar so it did not last long at all.

I would recommend that you use coarsely ground Korean red pepper (gochugaru) for kimchi making rather than standard chilli flakes which can burn and taste bitter. Gochugaru provides a mild, sweet and smoky heat, a vibrant red colour and creates an ideal antimicrobial environment that helps beneficial lactic acid bacteria thrive.

In my early days of fermenting I tended to ferment my kimchi at room temperature for around 4 weeks before refrigerating but nowadays I definitely prefer a shorter ferment of around a week and then to cure the kimchi in the fridge for some time.

Recent research by scientists in South Korea say a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi ((Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain CBA3656) may help the body get rid of nanoplastics by binding to the particles inside the intestine and helping remove them through waste before they build up in organs.

Cultured Living sells organic Gochugaru as well as premium Korean solar sea salt which is what is used in Korea for kimchi making.

08/08/2026

Despite my passion for fermenting and the Covid lockdowns when everyone was baking bread I’ve never really got into sourdough baking. However, I recently met Denise and had the opportunity to taste her delicious homemade sourdough. Denise and I have decided to join together to run a Sourdough and Sauerkraut workshop on Sunday 6th September in Shenton Park, Perth.

Denise is a German sourdough baker who moved to Perth in April. She didn't come alone, her 100+ year old sourdough starter Hermann made the trip too, after five years of baking together back home. With a PhD in molecular biology, Denise brings a scientist's curiosity to baking, understanding exactly what happens inside the dough, why fermentation works the way it does, and how to get consistent results every time. But don't worry, this isn't a chemistry lecture. It's hands-on, practical, and full of the tips and tricks she's picked up over years of baking, plus a piece of Hermann to take home with you.

Carol will demonstrate how easy it is to make your own gut friendly sauerkraut at home including the secrets behind successful fermentation. Once you understand the basics it is simple to customise flavours and ingredients to suit every taste. Taste some of Carol’s favourite sauerkraut combinations to inspire you.

There will be a break between the two sessions where refreshments will be served, a chance to ask questions and taste the sourdough breads together with various homemade and fermented toppings.

We are both excited to share our skills with you. Written instructions will be provided to take home.

This is a small group workshop. Please book via our website https://bit.ly/45MoWlN

A three hour workshop, two hours of which will concentrate on sourdough bread making with Denise followed by a sauerkraut demonstration with Carol. Denise is a German sourdough baker who moved to Perth in April. She didn't come alone, her 100+ year old sourdough starter Hermann made the trip too, af...

01/08/2026

Garum is a complex, savoury, umami-rich liquid seasoning which is created by fermenting the base ingredient with salt water and rice koji for 1 to 2 months at 50°C–60°C. The enzymes break down the proteins into concentrated amino acids, primarily glutamic acid and glutamates which are responsible for the rich, savory taste known as umami.

Garum has been repopularised and reinvented in recent years by fermentation experts such as Sandor Katz and Noma’s fermentation lab. Inspired by ancient Roman Garum which was traditionally made by fermenting fish and its entrails, experimentation has led to all sorts of garums made with animal products and vegetables alike.

I have made two delicious Garum ferments - one was a chicken wing garum and the other was a vegan version made from nutritional yeast.

My garums were incubated in my Instant Pot on the sous vide setting which maintains a constant temperature. Processing garum at 60C (140F) can protect it from bacterial development and will speed up the process. However if you don’t have an incubator a slow fermentation is apparently also possible and may result in a deeper flavour. At the start of the fermentation process, stir daily to prevent mould growing on the surface, then, as the fermentation stabilises, less regularly.

Because it is highly concentrated, garum isn't used as a main ingredient on its own, but rather as a seasoning or finishing touch. Use it like soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to add salt and incredible depth of flavour to any dish.

Glazes and Marinades: It can be brushed directly over roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or used to glaze proteins.

Soups and Sauces: A few drops added to a stew, gravy, or even ice cream adds a layer of depth and roasted, meaty flavor.

Pasta and Stir-fries: Use it in place of soy sauce or salt when tossing noodles, or mix it with olive oil and a dash of pasta water for an incredibly rich sauce.

I like to add a little Garum to my mug of bone broth😘

Fermenting your own garum is a labour of love, not least because of the time it takes….but is so very worthwhile. I call it my “secret ingredient”

25/07/2026

I heard that grapefruit is a good addition when making kimchi so with citrus being in season I decided to give it a try.

Grapefruit kimchi is a bold, citrus-forward twist on traditional Korean kimchi. Thick julienned slices of Korean reddish was the main ingredient in my kimchi. I did not add cabbage to this batch but you can of course do so. The other ingredients were classic kimchi ingredients ie gochugaru, glutinous rice paste, ginger, fish sauce, garlic.

Excited to announce that we now have limited stock of organic, sun-dried, gochugaru in stock. Gochugaru is coarsely ground Korean red pepper flakes and is an essential ingredient in many Kimchi recipes. Organic gochugaru is not that easy to find in most stores. Don’t forget to add a bag of Korean solar sea salt to your order - I have previously posted about this type of salt as it is what is a traditionally used in Korea for kimchi so if interested to know more please scroll down to the relevant post for more info.

I did find the taste of this kimchi slightly bitter but bitter is said to be good to get the digestive juices flowing and I’m sure the bitterness would not be a problem when eating the kimchi with other foods. Maybe a little sugar would have been a good addition to this batch as sugar is often added to kimchi traditionally. My husband gave it the thumbs up. You may prefer to try adding orange segments to your kimchi for a sweeter result if wanting to make a citrus flavoured kimchi.

18/07/2026

Let’s talk about beet kvass.

Do you add anything in to your beet kvass apart from the basics of beets, salt and water?

This is my latest batch to which I’ve added orange zest, ginger, cinnamon chips, black cardamom, star anise, cloves and black peppercorns. Sounds yummy doesn’t it and I’m sure it will taste fabulous but I have to wait at least two months before I taste it. I really don’t understand recipes I’ve seen that recommend fermenting beet kvass for only a few days. In my opinion it just tastes like salty, earthy water if done as a short ferment. Given time the salt draws all the goodness out of the beets and improves the flavour immensely. You can already see the change in colour in these two photos taken 2-3 weeks apart.

All the spices were placed in a muslin bag (available for sale on our website) so they don’t float and the the beets are cut in such a way that they are joined at the bottom and hopefully won’t float as they are too heavy. A viscodisc was also used to stop anything floating to the top. As it happened the fermentation action did encourage some things to float up.

An airlock was not used for this ferment as beet kvass is not normally too active - unlike sauerkraut which is extremely active and requires an airlock to avoid having to ‘burp’ the jar in the active early stages. I have filled the jar almost to the top to ensure minimal oxygen in the mix…..overflow should not be a problem for this ferment as brine levels should not rise a lot like sauekraut does.

12/07/2026

Continuing the Amazake theme and with citrus being in season I made more orange flavoured Amazake. Amazake is a traditional Japanese fermented sweet drink normally made from rice but in this instance I used rolled oats and rice koji.

Some of this oat Amazake was used to make my Amazake Amazeballs. Amazake protein balls are a fantastic, Japanese-inspired, vegan-friendly snack. They get their natural, gut-healing sweetness and moisture from the Amazake. Often protein powder and nuts are used to make protein balls making them incredibly easy to digest and perfect for a workout refuel. I did not have any protein powder at hand but blended up a mixture of chia seeds hydrated in Amazake, cooked chickpeas (nut butter could be used instead of chickpeas), oats, almond flour, cacao, dessicated coconut, vanilla, and a pinch of salt - no actual recipe I am afraid but the mixture was blended and more ingredients added as required to get the right sticky, dough-like consistency and flavour. I did add a little date syrup at the end for a little more sweetness.

Finally my Amazeballs were dipped in melted chocolate and coconut…yum

03/07/2026

Further to last week’s post about Amazake, I was pondering different ways to use my Amazake and came up with Chia Pudding. Just soak chia seeds in Amazake and you have a delicious, quick and easy breakfast, dessert or anytime snack idea. My Amazake in this case happened to be orange and ginger flavoured but you obviously can flavour as desired. Serving ideas…..add fruit, granola, milk kefir, yoghurt.

When making your Chia Pudding make sure the chia seeds are mixed through properly and remember to stir an hour hour or two later to break up any clumps. After stirring the mixture should be refrigerated.

Chia seed pudding is an excellent source of plant-based protein, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and gut-friendly fibre. The seeds expand in liquid to form a gelatinous texture that promotes fullness, helping to curb your appetite and reduce overeating, making it a great option for breakfast. The soluble fibre in chia slows down digestion and prevents blood sugar spikes, which are directly linked to stubborn abdominal fat storage.

Amazake is a traditional Japanese fermented rice beverage rich in natural glucose, B-vitamins, amino acids, and digestive enzymes. Often called a "drinkable IV," it is celebrated for providing instant energy, boosting gut health, supporting the immune system and promoting radiant, youthful skin and muscle recovery.

27/06/2026

Amazake is a traditional, sweet, and typically non-alcoholic Japanese beverage made from fermented rice. Amazake is created using koji (steamed rice inoculated with the Aspergillus oryzae culture). This releases enzymes that break down the complex starches in rice into simple, natural sugars (glucose), giving the drink its rich, signature sweetness without any added sugar. Amazake is packed with nutrients and probiotics and contains essential amino acids and B vitamins.

Amazake has a thick, creamy porridge like consistency and is consumed either hot in the winter or chilled in summer. Although traditionally made with rice it works well with other grains too.

Amazake is easy to make. RIce koji is added to cooked, cooled rice (equal amounts of each) and then fermented at a temperature of between 55°C to 60°C for 8 to 12 hours. Stir the mixture every 2 hours to ensure even fermentation. It is done when the mixture tastes sweet and has a slightly floral, sake-like aroma. I make my Amazake in my Instant Pot using the Sous Vide setting. When the Amazake is finished, move it to the refrigerator, where the enzymes will cool enough to halt the process. If you prefer a smooth texture, blend the amazake in a blender or food processor before cooling it down.

To Serve Warm: Dilute the amazake with an equal amount of water or warm milk and gently heat it to 60°C. Do not boil it, or you will lose the active enzymes. To flavour you can add freshly grated ginger, spices or even cocoa powder. There are many delicious suggestions in the book MIso, Tempeh, Natto and Other Tasty Ferments by Kirsten & Christopher Shockey (available for sale on the Cultured Living website) such as Amazake Golden Milk, scones and granola using Amazake.

To Serve Cold: Dilute it with chilled water, pour it over ice, or mix it into a smoothies

I added orange juice and zest and ginger into my latest batch of Amazake at the beginning of the fermentation stage. When ready some of this Amazake was added into my overnight oats together with milk kefir, nuts, seeds, sultanas etc…..highly recommend😋

20/06/2026

If you always make the same flavour sauerkraut why not try something different. For my latest batch I sliced up half a red cabbage and half a green cabbage, 2% salt, grated nashi pear, orange zest and a sprinkle of carraway, nigella saliva and mustard seeds. Now for the wait, but I’m sure it will be delicious.

The ingredients weighed in at 2.7kgs and fitted perfectly into a 3 litre Fido Pickler. The additional of the nashi pear adds a little sweetness - I like to add apple or pear to my sauerkrauts in the winter months to sweeten it up a bit give the bacteria a little more sugar to feed on and speed things up a little. The colder it is the longer it takes for sauerkraut to ferment.