Fermentation Craze!.....Vegan Fermented Mung Bean Cakes

Yeah yeah, I know....I feel like when people hear the work "fermented" they kind of cringe.  I am not really sure why.  Maybe it is an acquired taste???  After all, I hated kombucha the first time I drank it.  It was pungent, fizzy and just didn't appeal to my palate.  But, as we grow, we evolve, as do our taste buds.

Mung beans are most prominent in Asian/Indian cultures and high in nutritional value and content.

 And when fermented, that value increases even more!....rich in enzymes, improves digestion, increases flavor and shelf life, restores proper bacteria balance in your tummy, increases nutrients....I mean the list goes on.

Unlike other fermentation processes, this one is quite simple: soak, blend, soak again....just about one and a half/two day span. 

This recipe is non-traditional to the korean style fermented mung bean pancake.  Though, I will do another version of the pancake that is inspired by the korean recipe.  Here we are not using kimchi.  Instead, I used fresh vegetables to mix into the fermented and blended mung bean mixture.

This is after the beans have soaked and blended and 

fermented for another 12 hours.                                

 Vegan Curried Fermented Mung Bean Cakes                         

 Ingredients:

1 c mung beans, rinsed

1 mason jar or something similar to soak beans

2 scallions chopped, using both white and green parts

1 carrot shredded

1/4 c finely chopped napa cabbage

1 garlic clove minced

1 tbsp ginger minced

1/2 tbsp garlic chili paste

1/2 tssp tamari

salt to taste

1 tbsp evoo or sesame oil

Directions:

Rinse your mung beans and discard any that look bad or discolored.  Place mung beans in a mason jar and cover with about double the amount of water (the beans will expand over night).  Make sure you used pure, filtered water!  Cover with a cheese cloth (or paper towel if you do not have) and twist on top.  Let sit out on counter overnight.  

In the morning, rinse the mung beans (you may want to save your fermented liquid for the next time you ferment because you now have bacteria in the water and will speed up fermentation process!).  Transfer beans to food blender and add a few tbsp of water, just enough to blend but you do not want smooth!

Transfer to a bowl or container, cover and let sit to ferment for about 6+ hours.  After those six hours, it should look a bit foamy and bubble- I suppose that is the best way to describe it.

Now, transfer the blended fermented mixture in a bowl and add all above ingredients, except for the evoo.  Mix together and season to taste.

Heat evoo or sesame oil on medium heat.  Add about 2-3 tbsp to the saute pan for each pancake.  Cook each side of the pancake for about 3-5 minutes or until crispy and brownish.  Continue until batter is done.

Serve with a spicy Asian mustard, Sriracha or sweet-soy/scallion sauce!