Fermented Food

            This traditional practice of India is amazing in all aspects especially in food culture.  The general rule in healthy food habits is that food should be cooked fresh; but, if food becomes excessive, maybe rice, then the cooked rice is soaked in water overnight for fermentation. This fermented rice is eaten the next day for breakfast with onions.  Look at the wisdom here. Fermentation of rice is different from fermentation of yogurt. In the latter, a starter culture of microbes are added and so only that bacteria grows more.

        Whereas, while fermenting left over rice, with the intention of not wasting food, no starter microbial culture is added. Hence, all varieties of bacteria grow; predominantly the ones that feed on rice nutrients secreting especially vitamin B12. This is the reason in traditional Indian vegetarians there was deficiency of vitamin B12, because they ate fermented rice. Eating vitamin B12 rich food prevents anemia and fatigue and tiredness. People who require strenuous physical exercises benefit from the intake of Vitamin B12 and several other micro-nutrients by eating fermented rice.

         The wisdom of eating onions with fermented rice has another health benefit. Since fermented rice, unlike yogurt, has a plethora of microbes, their disease causing ability has to be curbed. This is taken care of by eating fermented rice with small red onions or red pearl onions which are rich in sulfur-containing anti-bacterial compounds. Fermenting rice is good wisdom of not wasting left over rice and at the same time enhancing its nutritional and health qualities.

        Each state of India has different types of fermented foods based on the grains that are available to them. The most popular is a steamed rice-bean food called "Idli". Rice and Black Urad gram (a type of black bean) is soaked and ground to a paste-like consistency and allowed to ferment. Due to microbial activity the batter rises; when this is steamed it forms a very soft, fluffy 'cake'. Idli is a very balanced food with the right amount of carbohydrates and  proteins, fat and other nutrients. It is the ideal food for all ages for both the healthy and sick. For more information on general fermentation please  Click here  to read.

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