RecipesHow to Make Rejuvelac
Updated on: 12.12.2020
In this post, you will learn how to make rejuvelac. It is a fermented drink made by first sprouting grains and then fermenting them in water, which becomes a healthy living fizzy drink and a feast for your gut flora.
We can use it to ferment other food and make products such as fermented vegan cheese. This process is what gives it a pleasant, tangy, cheesy flavor.
It is easy to make rejuvelac but it is quite a long process that includes lots of waiting. The full process takes about a week, but just a few minutes per day.
If you’re just looking for a quick improvised creamy solution, check out our recipes for vegan cottage cheese or sweet vegan ricotta cheese, both of which only take a few minutes to make.
Rejuvelac can be made with various grains, such as wheat, spelt, barley, kamut, rye, millet and quinoa. Note that buckwheat is not suitable because it forms slime.
What are fermented foods?
Fermented foods are foods that have active microorganisms, which cause the food to ferment. Fermentation happens when the food is exposed to the activity of microbes in an incubated form without oxygen.
A number of factors, such as temperature, time, and pH value enable the microorganisms to break down organic matter such as sugars.
As the microorganisms multiply and break down organic matter, the food is altered and acquires a different aroma, texture, flavour and bioactive substances such as vitamins and minerals.
Why is fermentation good?
- It helps preserve the food because of its production of acids.
- Fermentation alters and improves the texture, flavor, and aroma of the food.
- It is a source of probiotics that play an important role in the normal functioning of your immune system
- The food has higher amounts of bioactive substances such as vitamin B, C, and K2.
- The food becomes easier to digest than its pre-fermented form.
- A higher amount of enzymes enables a better absorption of nutrients.
- It leads to the removal of some substances such as phytates that are naturally present in food such as legumes and work as nutrient absorption inhibitors.
How Can I Use Rejuvelac?
- Ferment nut and seed bases and make vegan cheese
- Drink it directly as a vitamin and probiotic boost
- Soak foods in rejuvelac to start the digestion process early and save up on energy
To learn more about rejuvelac, click here.
Be careful that everything you use when making rejuvelac is completely clean in order to avoid contamination.
Warning: Preparing the Rejuvelac will take about one week so you have to plan ahead.
How do I make Rejuvelac at home?
What you’ll need:
– grains suitable for sprouting, such as organic quinoa or buckwheat
– several large glass jars and gauze
– unchlorinated and filtered water
The grain to water ratio should be 1 to 6.
Total Time: 8 days
DAY 1
1) Pour about half a cup of grains into each jar and add a generous cup of water to each.
2) Cover each jar with gauze and soak overnight (12 hours).
DAY 2
1) In the morning, drain and rinse the grains through the gauze jar cover
2) Add water again
3) Let soak. Do NOT expose to direct sunlight.
4) Rinse multiple times per day to keep grains moist
DAY 3 – 5 or until sprouted
1) Rinse multiple times per day to keep grains moist
2) Wait for the grains to sprout. This takes about 2 days or more, depending on the type of grain.
DAY 5 or when sprouted
1) Rinse
2) Fill the jars with sprouted grains with clean water. Make sure to use unchlorinated and preferably filtered water.
3) Leave the contents to ferment for another 2 or 3 days, this time without any rinsing or water change.
DAY 8
1) Check the jars. If you observe any cloudiness, that is completely normal. However, any dark moldy-looking spots are a bad sign and in this case the content should be discarded.
2) After this stage of fermentation is over, the rejuvelac will have gass bubbles, similar to a fizzy drink. Now it is safe to try. It should have a tangy and pleasant taste.
3) Drain the liquid from the jar by straining it through the gauze and save it in the fridge.
How it keeps
Rejuvelac keeps in the fridge for about 3 to 4 weeks and can be used for fermentation of vegan cheese bases in this time frame.
Now that your rejuvelac is done, you can start making vegan cheeses!
No idea where to begin? Check out our vegan fermented cheese base recipe, which you can use as a building block to make truly epic vegan cheeses.