Fermented red bean stew
Beans are a wonderful prebiotic food but can be harsh on the gut particularly if you have gut dysbiosis (leaky gut). Soaking and fermenting them before cooking helps to break down some of the anti-nutrients but also provides more bioactive substances such as anti-oxidants for your body. Leave out the chilli if you are not into hot things.
In Phase II D2D remember to add foods gradually. Adding lots of fermented foods all at once can be lead to a Herxheimer ('die-off') reaction. This is where the microbes in the ferment compete with the microbes in the gut (usually the upper intestine) and cause the microbes in the gut to die, leaving inflammation, bloating and pain. By adding one new food per week, this is less likely to happen.
Ingredients
- Shiokoji - 1 dessert spoon
- Red Palm Oil - 2 dessert spoons
- Coconut oil - 2 dessert spoons
- Mixed beans - 2 cans
- Red capsaicum pepper - 1
- Chopped tomatoes - 1 can
- Tomato puree - 2 dessert spoons
- Smoked paprika - half tsp
- 5 Moroccan spice - 1 tsp
- Dr Ese’s Fermented garlic infusion - 10 mls or half crushed garlic
- Ras-el Hanout or mixed spice - 1 tsp
- Sea or rock salt - 1 tsp
- Honey - 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Method
Prepare the beans
- If canned, pour the beans into a bowl and add the Shiokoji.
- Cover and leave to ferment overnight
- If not canned, soak the beans in water overnight, then soak again overnight with added Shiokoji
Make the fermented red bean stew
- Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan.
- Coarsely chop the capsaicum and add to the pain
- Add the spices and stir.
- As the capsaicum begins to soften, turn the heat down so that the mixture is gently sizzling and add the garlic infusion. Stir and leave to sizzle for about 3 minutes
- Add the chopped tomatoes and blend the whole mixture in a blender until smooth.
- Add the canned beans, Dr Ese’s powders, tomato puree, salt, honey, Herbes de Provences pepper and smoked paprika and stir
- Cover and leave to cook slowly whilst gently simmering for 1-6 hours stirring every so often so as not to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Enjoy!