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One of my absolute favourite breads has to be a #sourdough loaf, a buttered sour dough slice of bread is literally the ultimate dream. Not kidding. Having moved to Karachi from #Canada, I craved the bread, and it was not available here. I found something slightly closer in texture at local bakeries but it just didn't cut it. I'd always be left with half satisfied cravings.
That is when I decided to put my culinary skills to use and make the #bread myself. And because sourdough starter was not readily available either, I made it from scratch. It was such a fun process, I recommend everyone to try it at-least once.
Sourdough bread does not need store bought #yeast to rise, the leavening agent used for this bread is something called a starter; a mixture of water and flour, which is #fermented for a week. The acids that form during this process help break down gluten and protein, which makes this bread easy to digest and easy for the body to absorb. It is also considered to be on the low end of the GI (glycemic index).
Starter and feeding it
'Starter' is active culture that you make out of water and flour mixture. Starter is ready to use anywhere between 24 hours to 5 days depending on the texture and flavour you are looking for. A sour and earthy tasting bread can be attained if the culture is kept in a warm place for a good 5 days. The longer you keep it out, the more sour your bread will taste ( if you're thinking it'll be sour like lemon, it won't, its just an undertone of funky tasting goodness) But keep in mind that it is best to not leave it out (in a warm place) for longer than 5 days.
So, as the starter turns 'alive' and starts doing its thing with bacteria in water, air, flour etc and creating yeast and other wonderfully acidic properties, it is pretty apt to say that we gotta feed it to keep it alive. Just like we feed our pet fish, pet cat, plants and ourselves.
Once the starter is made, it can be kept in the fridge for 14 days; just feed it twice a week to maintain its strength. Make sure to feed it 1 day prior to baking your bread. If you wish to store the culture for longer than 2 weeks, you can freeze it and refresh after thawing upon usage. Store the starter in a glass jar/container that has a lid.
How do you make a starter you ask?
Its actually a pretty simple process, all you do is mix water and flour together and wait. Drain some culture, mix more flour and wait. Wait and wait till those bubbles appear and 5 days are over!
Gather these things before starting
Kitchen scale (weighing machine)
Water
All-purpose flour
Whole wheat flour
Jar with a lid
A spoon or fork to stir
Are you ready? Do you have everything?
Day 1 - Measure 50 g of whole wheat flour, 50 g of all-purpose flour, and 100 ml of water using the kitchen scale. Combine all in the jar you have selected and stir till a thick paste is formed. Keep the jar covered in a warm place for the next 24 hours. A nice, warm humid place.
Day 2 - Today, you discard half of the starter regardless of appearance of bubbles or not. Now, stir in 50 grams of whole wheat flour, 50 grams of all-purpose flour, and 100 ml of water. Cover the lid and leave it in a warm place for another 24 hours.
Day 3 - You might see some action happening today - some yeasty bubble formation. The starter should start to smell a little bit sour now (don't worry, it hasn't gone bad. We want this). Discard half of the formed culture today, again. But now, you will switch to either whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour according to your preference. Feed 100 ml water and 100 g flour of your choice, stir, cover and store in a warm place.
Day 4 - There is a bubble party going in your starter today and you should feed it the same way you did on day 3. Discard half, feed 1:1 ratio of flour and water (100 g flour and 100 ml water). Cover the lid and store it in a warm place.
Day 5 - Your sourdough starter will be very bubbly today and almost doubled in size. When you open the jar, you'll be hit by a very murky and sour smell (its the good kinda sour). The bacteria has done its magic and you now have an active, alive culture to be used for your homemade bread.
You can keep this starter alive for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
And this ends part 1 of the sourdough bread series. I'll post the recipe to the bread next. Till then, start your starter and we'll bake the bread together in 5 days!
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