65: Rediscovering the vanishing art of fermentation | Rebecca Koh of Midnight Fermentary and Midnight Food Co.

Rebecca Koh: “Asian ferments used to be passed down by the word of mouth – from grandma to the mother, and from the mother to the daughters. If one generation decides, “I do not want to learn it”, then that's it… When I wanted to learn how to make rice wine, my maternal grandma had already passed on, so there's no way I could ask. I had to call my aunt and ask, “Is there anyone in Singapore you know who knows how to do it?”. And she said, “No, not in Singapore, but in Malaysia, maybe I can find out from you.” So that's why in Singapore, it is literally like a vanishing art. You can hardly find someone who can really teach you how to do it properly, step-by-step.” Rebecca Koh of Midnight Fermentary and Midnight Food Co., shares how fermentation helped her cope with insomnia, plus: *Different colours of glutinous rice wine* *Difference between red yeast rice and white wine cakes* *Process of making glutinous rice wine* *Superstitions/ science of fermentation* *Home-brewing shops in Singapore* *Fermentation fridges and storing wine under the bed* *Enjoying glutinous rice wine and lees* *The value of fermenting your own food* *What’s within the reach of a home fermenter* *Why there are chemicals in commercial ferments* *Why is there a lack of documentation for Asian ferments* *Where should a beginner start* Rebecca Koh: @midnightfermentary @midnightfoodcoSingapore Noodles: http://sgpnoodles.com/ @sgpnoodlesSingapore Noodles newsletter: http://sgpnoodles.substack.com/