Fermented food affected the eating habits and health greatly in Japan from old days. Many of them are unique smell and taste, but, in fact, the fermented food is really good for health.
Four or five thousand years ago, when Arab nomadic herders are going to drink milk which passed on few days to heal the thirst of the throat in the middle of a trip; the milk became hardened with a transparent liquid. After licking it for trial, there was unique taste with the acidity. It is said whether this is the origin of the fermented food.
Now the kind of fermented food which was an accidental product is abundant by trial and error, and the inventive idea of old people. Strong smell and unique taste makes you habit-forming.
In Japan, Feremented food was reborn to the a great variety of food such as crucian carp sushi said to be a model of the sushi , natto, fish guts pickled in salt, Japanese pickles, soy sauce, miso, and alcoholic beverages. While each local food, climate and natural features, ethnicity or faith affect it in all the countries of the world, much fermentation food culture is formed.
By the way, it is the fermented food which becomes a part of the eating habits while we may not know, but on earth what will be good to a body in with this "fermentation" and how?
► Fermentation
A very small microbe composes starch, sugar and protein included in the food, and makes a new ingredient. This metabolism activity is called "fermentation". The thing which changed into useful food for a human being is "fermented food" by this activity. In other words, the thing which is increased a taste and an active ingredient which original ingredients do not have to food by the power of the microbe, and is raised nutritive value is "fermented food".
For example, natto fermented by bacillus natto, cheese made by the fermentation of the lactic acid bacterium; there are many flavours and nutrients which ingredients do not originally have.
► Health Benefit
The fermented foods have benefits that not only nutritive value becomes higher, but also easy to digest and absorb because food ferments.
The citric acid included in vinegar has a relieving fatigue effect, and the lactic acid bacterium included in Japanese pickles and yogurt has regulation of the function of intestine. There is a blood rustle effect to the natto.
* For more details of the health benefit of natto > read more
► Recipes – to get the benefits from fermented foods
■ Grilled marinated meat/fish with all-around sauce of miso and the yogurt
Becoming soft in meat and fish with lactic acid included in the yogurt!
<Ingredients>
- Miso 150g
- Plain Yogurt 50g
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Mirin Cooking Sweet Sake
- Your favourite meat or fish
<Methods>
1. Mix all the ingredients except meat and fish in a bowl.
2. Paint the both sides of meat and fish with the sauce
and wrap with chilling lap and leave them in a refrigerator overnight.
3. Wash away the sauce from meat and fish with water, and grill them
after draining the water with kitchen paper.
■ Yogurt Pickles – unique and easy pickles
<Ingredients>
- Yogurt 450g
- ½ tbsp Salt
- ½ tbsp Sliced Dried Konbu Kelp
- ½ tbsp Red Pepper
<Methods>
1. Place all the ingredients to an airtight container and mix well.
2. Put daikon radish peeled skin, carrots, cucumbers or any vegetables you like which cut in suitable size,
and soak them in a refrigerator for one or two days.
► Difference between "Fermentation" and "Putrefaction"
Fermentation and putrefaction are both degradation action of the microbes, but it is called “fermentation” which nutritive value to a human being rises; it is called “Putrefaction” to produce a toxic substance giving such as food poisoning.
Because the fermented food is no matter how good for a body, it requires attention to take excessively. A pickle is high in salt, and sake called the best of all medicines puts a load on liver when you drink too much. Do not eat only a specific fermented food and should take in much fermented food with other food as everyday eating habits.
Enhance interest to what you eat with fermented food!
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