However, although kimchi is a side dish, the crispness and delicacy of pickling are skillful. The most annoying thing about making kimchi is "flowering". This time, let's solve this problem. Are there any ways to prevent kimchi from "blooming"?
First of all, let's briefly understand why kimchi "blooms", and then we can solve the problem. The "raw flower" of kimchi is also called "Changpu" in some places. There seems to be a thin white or gray film on the surface of kimchi, which may have some obvious odor in severe cases. It's a pity that kimchi will be discarded all over the altar at this time.
Everyone knows that the production process of kimchi is assisted by beneficial bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. These microorganisms ferment in an anoxic environment, and the most important thing is that lactic acid produced by lactic acid bacteria brings a sour and refreshing flavor. But it is also microorganisms that make kimchi "bloom", such as Bacillus and Candida. Here we call it "miscellaneous bacteria", and that white film is the bacterial film formed by these miscellaneous bacteria.
Therefore, the key idea to keep kimchi from "blooming" is to reduce the mixing of miscellaneous bacteria, not to give them a suitable growth environment, and to help beneficial bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria establish growth advantages. Only in this way can the problem be solved fundamentally, and many veterans who make kimchi all the year round also follow these basic ideas in many operations. Share with you some operational details.
How to keep kimchi from "flowering"? What do you need to add? What should I pay attention to? 1, make sure it is clean.
In fact, any food preparation needs to be clean, which is the most basic requirement for what the entrance wants to eat. However, the situation of kimchi is more severe. This kind of cleaning not only requires the normal picking, washing and cleaning of ingredients, but more importantly, it should not be raw or oily.
Raw water is easy to be mixed with impurities, microorganisms and even parasite eggs. Although some places are used to clear mountain spring water or deep well water, it is a few cases after all. Therefore, for most people, it is best to make kimchi with cold boiled water, without touching or using raw water.
And oil needs to be avoided. Oil itself is prone to rancidity and deterioration. Heterobacteria such as Bacillus can secrete lipase and use oil to proliferate, which may lead to the inhibition of lactic acid bacteria we need, so we must avoid oil. If you want to make some meat pickles such as chicken feet, then the soaking time must not be too long, and the meat must be soaked separately.
2. Make sure the environment is sealed.
Almost any tutorial for making kimchi will mention the descriptions of "adding water along the altar" and "sealing for fermentation", because sealing from air is the key factor to ensure that kimchi does not "bloom" during normal fermentation.
Most of the lactic acid bacteria we need to make kimchi are facultative anaerobic bacteria. After the kimchi jar is sealed, the oxygen in it will be gradually consumed, which creates a favorable situation for lactic acid bacteria, which began to prevail in kimchi jars. Lactic acid bacteria ferment through continuous proliferation and other life activities, and at the same time produce a lot of lactic acid, which reduces the PH value of kimchi water, thus creating a more suitable environment for their own survival and further inhibiting the survival probability of other miscellaneous bacteria.
Miscellaneous bacteria, such as Bacillus, which can cause kimchi to "bloom", are mostly aerobic bacteria. After the pickle jar is sealed, they can only compete with lactic acid bacteria for a little oxygen left in the jar. Once the oxygen is exhausted, these miscellaneous bacteria begin to be suppressed. Coupled with the continuous expansion of lactic acid bacteria flora and the transformation of the environment, the miscellaneous bacteria that will cause kimchi to "bloom" are basically completely suppressed.
3. Avoid excessive temperature.
The proliferation rate of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus is greatly affected by temperature. With the increase of temperature, the proliferation rate of microorganisms increases almost geometrically, but the flora proliferates too fast and is easy to get out of control. So almost all pickles are made in a cool and dark place, in order to avoid the high-speed proliferation caused by high temperature, the flora develops out of control. Although it takes a relatively long time in a cool environment, lactic acid bacteria can take advantage of it stably.
4. Visit details
This is an easily overlooked point. Every time you fish pickles from the big altar, you should use clean tools without oil and water. The most taboo is to put kimchi directly into the kimchi jar with chopsticks when eating, which is not only unsanitary, but also brings in excess oil, bacteria and miscellaneous bacteria.
5, the application of liquor and salt
Under the premise of ensuring sealing, lactic acid bacteria have great advantages in the "battle" with miscellaneous bacteria. After all, as long as the environment is short of oxygen, it is only a matter of time before lactic acid bacteria win, but there is not enough time.
Therefore, most bacteria can be killed by the high osmotic pressure of salt and the sterilization effect of wine when pickling pickles, so as to ensure that beneficial microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria will not fall off at least at the beginning, and will naturally gradually take advantage with the passage of fermentation time. If the mixed bacteria are not given a chance to grow, kimchi will naturally not be easy to "blossom" and deteriorate.
If kimchi has been seriously "flowered", it should be discarded decisively, because although miscellaneous bacteria can be killed by wine or high temperature, some of their harmful secretions may not be removed. However, if kimchi only "blooms" a little at first, you can skim off the silver eardrum on the surface, add some high alcohol, and "shuffle" the flora state again to ensure the sanitation and sealing of the environment. In a few days, lactic acid bacteria will regain their advantages, and kimchi can still be saved.