Rejuvelac is a fermented beverage popularized by Ann Wigmore. Anne traditionally recommended using soft pastry wheat berries. Soft wheat is preferred to hard wheat because it offers a more delicate almost sweet flavour. Vegan chef and entrepreneur Karen MacArthy recommends trying different grains and tasting the outcome. I have to agree. Here I used quinoa because I had some left over from a recipe I tested for the grocery market.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (240ml) of quinoa

• 3 cups (720ml) of water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash (rinse) quinoa and add to a sprouting jar. Fill the jar with water and soak quinoa for 4-8 hours. After quinoa has soaked, rinse again and leave jar upside down to drain. Store away from direct sunlight.

2. Rinse and repeat 2-4 times per day as time allows.

3. Once the quinoa has sprouted (grown a tiny tail) rinse and transfer to your final vessel (large mason jar) cover with a breathable lid, such as coffee filter, nut milk bag, ect. Leave on your counter to begin fermentation.

4. Allow fermentation to occur for 2-3 days. You will see bubbles begin to form at the top. the time it takes will depend on the temperature and environment of your kitchen.

——————————————————————
Safety: Raw and unpasteurized fermented foods may cause higher risk to immunocompromised individuals.

From the Kitchen Diary…

Making rejuvelac will take a few days, but with patience the process is easy. The hardest part may be actually be deciding what grain you are going to use. Unless you have something in the pantry already. If so use that! The best place to shop is your pantry first. Let us use up what we have on hand. Of the grains I have tried, quinoa typically will sprout the fastest. However, if you do decide to use quinoa you may come across a challenge in getting the quinoa to sprout. Not all quinoa will sprout. I have had some fails even with certified organic quinoa. Sometimes older grains or grains that have been irradiated will not sprout. If your quinoa does not sprout, it can still ferment. The quality may not be the same. Go ahead and use them this time, but for your next batch try a different source. If you buy from the bulk bin then maybe start with a small amount, to test the quality first :)

Why make rejeuvelac?

What I love about rejeuvelac is that it can be used as a starter to make other cultured foods like plant based cultured nut cheese. Recipes will vary but you’ll typically need about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of rejeuvelac in making a simple cashew or sunflower seed cheese. This means that with time management and planning I can make these artisan type foods without having to source out specific expensive probiotic capsules or hard to find starter cultures. All I need is grain from the pantry and patience. That is what also makes rejeuvelac so great as a home made fermented beverage. Unlike kombucha or water kefir, there is no starter SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) required.

What tools do you need to make rejeuvelac?

You will need a clean working space. When undergoing any type of ferment in the kitchen it is best to make sure your working space is clean.