It would appear that I have made my first alcoholic batch of ginger beer, which when fermented correctly yields a carbonated soft drink. I was experimenting with ratios and added more of everything except the yeast (just a teaspoon). Effects-wise, I'd say that I might have reached between 4-5% alcohol and that was only after drinking 8 oz of it.
I'm still unsure of how to properly use a hydrometer; as I don't have enough liquid to test for the size of the hydrometer that I have, nor do I have a container with enough slender volume that I can measure the beer in.
Here are the tested ratios:
1/2 c grated ginger (vs 1/4 c)
1.25 c organic granulated sugar (vs 1 cup)
10 c water (vs 9 cups)
As for the fermenting time: 3.5 days instead of 2
Avg room temp for the ferment was 55-60 F
This batch yielded 2 liters plus 1 pint.
After thoughts:
Too much raw ginger flavor. It was potent and felt like a kick to the head.
The extra sugar did nothing to make the beer sweeter before decanting into flip-top bottles, in fact, the yeast ate it all.
Also, the Active Dry Yeast was very fresh (yes, that's bread yeast).
Crockpot Maple Baked Beans
I have always found that most commercial brands of these beans are too sweet for my taste; though, I wonder how sweet these are supposed to be. Recently I've been watching a food channel on YouTube about 18th Century cooking by Jas Townsend and Son. At least I don't have to build a fire pit or clay oven to bake these.
While it involves simple ingredients, it is fairly time consuming in preparing dry beans for eating. One day I'll have to research why the beans are called navy beans since they are neither navy in color nor boat-like in shape.
In a 5-quart bowl, rinse and soak in filtered water 2 cups of dry navy beans. I soaked these overnight (roughly 12-18 hours), tossed the soaking liquid and boiled the beans on a simmer for another hour.
Then...
Into the crockpot (slow cooker) for 8-10 hours on low with the following ingredients:
3/4 c filtered water
3/4 c organic maple syrup
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Give that a few stirs with the beans before setting the time and putting the lid on.
While it involves simple ingredients, it is fairly time consuming in preparing dry beans for eating. One day I'll have to research why the beans are called navy beans since they are neither navy in color nor boat-like in shape.
In a 5-quart bowl, rinse and soak in filtered water 2 cups of dry navy beans. I soaked these overnight (roughly 12-18 hours), tossed the soaking liquid and boiled the beans on a simmer for another hour.
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| Soon to be maple baked beans... |
Then...
Into the crockpot (slow cooker) for 8-10 hours on low with the following ingredients:
3/4 c filtered water
3/4 c organic maple syrup
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Give that a few stirs with the beans before setting the time and putting the lid on.
Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
While enjoyable to eat, the food prep and wait times are not. The best part of this is that the chicken cooks in its own fat. Having made this twice now, I thought I should write it up. This recipe ratio is adapted from Epicurious.
Marinade Ingredients
chicken body parts
1 c cultured buttermilk per pound of meat
1 c homemade bread crumbs
1 c corn flake cereal, pulverised into crumbs1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
smoked paprika
garlic powder
chili powder
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
onion powder (optional)
parsley (optional)
Directions
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| Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken |
Marinade Ingredients
chicken body parts
1 c cultured buttermilk per pound of meat
Coating for chicken
1 c homemade bread crumbs
1 c corn flake cereal, pulverised into crumbs1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
smoked paprika
garlic powder
chili powder
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
onion powder (optional)
parsley (optional)
Directions
In a shallow bowl or sealable container, add chicken parts. Pour buttermilk and lemon juice over the chicken. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Take each piece of chicken and dip it into the coating mixture until it is completely covered. Repeat until all the chicken is coated.
Place chicken in a single layer on a Silpat-lined baking tray or in a lightly oiled glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 40-45 minutes. Turn chicken over at the halfway timer mark.
A digital thermometer in the thickest part of the meat should read 165 F (for poultry) when done.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Take each piece of chicken and dip it into the coating mixture until it is completely covered. Repeat until all the chicken is coated.
Place chicken in a single layer on a Silpat-lined baking tray or in a lightly oiled glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 40-45 minutes. Turn chicken over at the halfway timer mark.
A digital thermometer in the thickest part of the meat should read 165 F (for poultry) when done.
Sweet Chili Paste (La Jiao Jiang)
This is an ingredient I didn't have in the pantry. As long as you have a sharp knife, a mortar and pestle or a food processor, the recipe is easy to do. The heat of your peppers determines the heat of the paste. I used red jalapenos because they were the only hot red peppers available in my area, aside from Thai chili peppers which I didn't want to use for this recipe. My biggest complaint about Asian condiments are that I might use them a few times a year and the jar takes up prime real estate in the fridge. By making condiments in smaller batches, not only is it fresher tasting but also there are no preservatives.
Store it in a glass jar. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Related recipes: Sweet Chili Shrimp
Ingredients
3-5 hot red peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tsp rice vinegar
Directions
1. Remove the stem from the peppers and discard. Roughly chop the peppers into smaller pieces. Then chop in a food processor with the garlic, salt and vinegar.
2. (optional) In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat and add the peppers and garlic. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Let cool before using or storing in a jar.
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| The Foodening Blog: chopped red chiles |
Related recipes: Sweet Chili Shrimp
Ingredients
3-5 hot red peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tsp rice vinegar
Directions
1. Remove the stem from the peppers and discard. Roughly chop the peppers into smaller pieces. Then chop in a food processor with the garlic, salt and vinegar.
2. (optional) In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat and add the peppers and garlic. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Let cool before using or storing in a jar.
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| The Foodening Blog: red chili paste, nearly done |
Sweet Spicy Shrimp
This recipe ratio is a definite keeper. It was delicious. I'm not even sure if shrimp has a harvesting season, like crab or other larger seafood. But, I definitely have seen a wide range of prices for raw shrimp; from $5.99/lb (Fubonn, before asian food holidays) up to $13.99/lb (Costco, Trader Joe's). Certainly before the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, shrimp prices were cheaper by a couple of dollars per pound. And, rather than turn this post into a ecowatch rant, here are the directions.
I didn't have any shallots nor cilantro on hand so I omitted both. The cilantro is just for color.
Ingredients
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
(optional) 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
(optional) 1 small shallot, finely chopped
Marinade for Shrimp
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sea salt
Sauce for Frying
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tsp red chili paste
Directions
1. Clean and rinse shrimp. In a large bowl, mix shrimp, cornstarch and salt together. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to fry.
2. Prepare sauce: combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar and chili paste. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil and swirl the skillet to spread the oil around. Add garlic and ginger. Stir fry until the oil is fragrant and the garlic hasn't browned. Add shrimp and fry until the shrimp changes color from light gray to salmon pink, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and stir until well combined.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and top with (optional) cilantro. Serve hot.
I didn't have any shallots nor cilantro on hand so I omitted both. The cilantro is just for color.
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| The Foodening Blog: sweet chili shrimp, ready to eat |
Ingredients
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
(optional) 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
(optional) 1 small shallot, finely chopped
Marinade for Shrimp
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sea salt
Sauce for Frying
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tsp red chili paste
Directions
1. Clean and rinse shrimp. In a large bowl, mix shrimp, cornstarch and salt together. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to fry.
2. Prepare sauce: combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar and chili paste. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil and swirl the skillet to spread the oil around. Add garlic and ginger. Stir fry until the oil is fragrant and the garlic hasn't browned. Add shrimp and fry until the shrimp changes color from light gray to salmon pink, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and stir until well combined.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and top with (optional) cilantro. Serve hot.
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