Umami Liquid is a fermented rice milk, known as Amazake in Japan, which roughly translates to "sweet sake." The Koji used for fermentation excels at extracting a fine, subtle sweetness from the rice.
The possibilities for its use are virtually limitless because Umami Liquid does two things:
it adds natural rice sweetness to a dish
it enhances enzymatic activity.
WHAT???? Who wasn't paying attention in biology class? 🧐
In short, it works its magic on food. A crime? Au contraire! It's a sweet little helper that can make vegetables and meat tender as if by magic, make mushrooms more aromatic, and, in this case, make cereal flakes more digestible.
A dash of Umami Liquid is practically suitable anywhere, and in Japan, it's often consumed just as it is - as a smoothie or lightly heated with added ginger.
Juliana Lutz from Speiselokal is a dear customer from almost day one. Speiselokal isn't a traditional restaurant but an encouragement to rely on local ingredients when dining. It's a finely curated farm shop with the best seasonal, local produce and an enormous selection. Orders are placed online, and pick-up is on Fridays. Since they have everything needed for good food, the people of Neulengbach are fortunate not to stand in line at a big supermarket's checkout anymore.
Juliana is an Umami Liquid junkie. Every two weeks, an order arrives, and Umami Liquid is always included. So, I asked her what she does with so much Umami Liquid.
Here's the solution to the puzzle.
The recipe has two versions - one is a "raw overnight" approach, and the other is the cooked version.
Umami Liquid Breakfast Porridge
Juliana Lutz, Speiselokal
Recipe for approximately 1-2 people:
5 tablespoons of flakes (e.g., oats, spelt, millet) or even better: germinated porridge from Nuea.
1 tablespoon ground brown millet
1 teaspoon hemp protein powder (optional)
2 tablespoons of Umami Liquid mixed with 300 ml of water
1/2 teaspoon spice mix: vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, galangal --- if you don't have these, use cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground poppy seeds
2 tablespoons of the best oil (flax, camelina, or hemp)
1 tablespoon of raw cocoa or 4 crushed cocoa beans
Dried fruits or grated fruit for sweetness
RAW OVERNIGHT VERSION
Mix flakes, millet, and protein powder with the Umami Liquid water. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, the porridge will have thickened. Sweeten with fruit and pour 2 tablespoons of the best oil over it. Sprinkle cocoa, the spice mix, and the poppy seeds on top. It's best to let it sit for 1-2 hours or longer (if hunger allows) to allow the oil and cocoa to blend, and Umami to enhance further. 1-2 tablespoons of sheep yogurt also taste delightful with it.
COOKED VERSION
Gently roast 5 tablespoons of flakes in a pan without fat. Add millet, protein powder, spice mix, cocoa, and poppy seeds and continue to gently roast until it begins to smell good. Pour 400 ml of liquid (water, milk, or oat milk works well) over it. If you like it sweet, add some dried fruit or grated fruit now. Simmer the porridge on low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring. The consistency should be nicely thick. Finally, add the Umami Liquid and the oil as the finishing touch.
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