I
tried this method of creating a sourdough starter with gluten-free flours, and
it worked splendidly. I actually made two starters, one with 100% dark teff,
and the other with a blend of glutn-free whole grains and starches that I use
for making bread. While both starters worked, the teff starter was better
flavor-wise. Both grew yeast easily on the third day. I was able to get some of
the most flavorful loaves of gluten-free sourdough bread I've ever made using
this starter, and they rose well too. They had a very rounded-out lactic-acid
flavor.
I
am doing some more research and experiments concerning the best way to make sourdough
loaves gluten-free. I may try some modifications to the method to see if there
are any parts of the process that can be changed to suit gluten-free grains.
This method of creating a starter was part of my research and it has been very
informative to read your blog. Thank you for the ideas!
Starters used for gluten-free ‘bread’ products have
different metabolic needs than those based in rye or wheat. For one thing, the primary sugar sources
change composition when working with gluten-free grains, with maltose having a
diminished role. The likelihood of
highly-evolved, obligately heterofermentative LAB dominating the such a starter
culture are much lower due to this substrate difference.
Simpler sugars, then, give rise to a microfloral
culture that has more pronounced yeast activity, as well the presence of either
obligately homofermentative LABs (like those in the Plantarum and Para-plantarum
group) or those that are facultatively heterofermentative (like Brevis & company) as the main
lactobacilli presence. A mixture of
gluten-free grains will result in a very unpredictable culture, which is not a
bad thing if you’re looking for adventure and inconsistency.
Teff’s a reliable grain for sourdough
fermentations. It’s likely one of the
first grasses ever used for continuous sourdough fermentations. More information on Teff and sourdough can be
found here, here, and here.
Below are two methods used for preparing injera, excerpted from two different
studies, here and here.
2.5 Preparation of
injera
Injera baking consists
of two stages of natural fermentation, which last for about 24 to 72 hours, depending
on ambient temperatures. The only required ingredients are the tef flour and
water. Tef flour was mixed with twice its weight of water. Inoculation was
accomplished by consistently using partially cleaned fermentation container and
by adding some ersho (a clear, yellow liquid that accumulates on the surface of
the batter towards the final stage of fermentation). About 10% of the
fermenting dough was mixed with three parts of water and boiled for 2 to 5
minutes. This is called ‘absit’. Absit ensures that injera had the proper
texture and consistency. The tef dough was baked in an electric heated oven to obtain
Injera. Injera was dried under electric heated oven at 40 0C over night, ground
to a fine powder (to pass through a 40 mesh
sieve) and stored in polyethylene bags for further extractions.
2.6 Preparation of
Partially Fermented injera
Partially fermented
injera was baked at 18 hours of fermentation and has sweet taste and
characterized by vigorous evolution of gas and maximum dough-rising. It is
recommended for people suffering from gastritis and, thus, do not tolerate
acidic foods.
2.7 Preparation of Fully
Fermented injera
The fermentation process
of fully fermented injera lasts for three days. The appearance of an acidic yellowish
liquid on the surface of the dough at about 30 hours of fermentation was
discarded. As soon as the liquid layer was poured off absit was mixed with the
rest in fermentation vat after being cooled to 600C. This process signals the
initiation of the second stage of fermentation. By mixing the boiled dough with
the rest in the vat, the dough-rising and gas formation process was enhanced.
The fermenting dough was thin enough to pour on to the hot flat pan, locally
known as ‘mitad’ for stam-baked in to fully fermented injera. The preparation
of injera is shown.
Tef flour + water +
ersho
Incubate at room
temperature
(Primary fermentation)
Ferment for 17-25 hours
Sweet injera
At about 30hrs, discard
yellow liquids
On the top of the
fermenting dough
Remove a small volume of
dough for ‘absit’ making
Mix with water
Boil
After cooling absit to
60°C
Add to dough in
fermentation vat
Incubate for 0.5 to 2
hours
(Secondary fermentation)
Steam bake on hot clay
pan
(2-3 minutes)
--
The teff injera samples
were prepared at home in the same way as done traditionally in every household.
Accordingly, teff flour was mixed with clean water in the ratio 1:2 (w/w) and
16 % of starter (ersho) by the weight of the flour and was kneaded by hand in a
bowl in the traditional way. The resultant dough was allowed to ferment for 3
days at ambient temperature. After this primary fermentation, the surface water
formed on the top of the dough was discarded. For every 1kg of original flour,
200ml of the fermented mixture was mixed and with 400 ml of water and brought
to boil (traditionally known as ‘absit’ making). It was cooled to about 450C
before it was added into the main part of the dough. The main dough was thinned
by adding water equal to the original weight of the flour and stirred for
15minutes. The batter was left covered for 2 hoursforsecondary fermentation.
After 2 hours, the absit was added to the thinned dough and mixed very well
(known as batter making). The batter was left for about 30 min to rise (the second
fermentation), before baking commenced. Some more water was added to thin down
and form the right batter consistency. Finally, about half a litre of batter
was poured onto the hot clay griddle in a circular motion from the outside,
working towards the centre. After 2-3 minutes of cooking using traditional
baking equipment (metad), the injera was removed and stored in a traditional
basket container messob. The injera was then transported from home to the
laboratory for further study.
I have seen your recent breads on The Fresh
Loaf. My personal recommendation would
be to shy away from specialty ‘flour’ blends, and move toward more pure
expressions using one or two grains per loaf that have both a documented
history of sourdough breads made from them as well as those that are
gluten-free. (There is, however, a wealth of information on the natural
fermentation of various gluten-free flour blends. Just google away!)
