Fermented buckwheat loaf, gluten-free and paleo-friendly, takes 3–4 days

Bread baking with Doris #3, see here for #1 Principles of bread baking and here for #2 Sourdough baking

This marvellous gluten-free, paleo-friendly buckwheat bread is sometimes also called ‘seed bread’ because buckwheat groats (seeds) are its main ingredients. Buckwheat is not in the family of grains, as it is not a type of wheat at all. It is botanically closely related to the rhubarb. It appears to be well tolerated not only by all the gluten-free folks but by all those who have digestion challenges. It is naturally fermented over three days and doesn’t require a starter. The fermentation is helped along with the addition of either some cider vinegar or lemon juice.

Ingredients:

450 g or 2 1/2 cups of buckwheat groats

1 cup of water

1 teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, added twice, day 1 and day 2

1 heaped teaspoon salt (6g)

2 table spoons of psyllium husks

Optional:

½ cup of soaked and drained seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

Morning of day 1: Wash buckwheat well, place in a bowl, cover with plenty of cold water, and add 1 tea spoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Soak for 24 hours.

Morning of day 2: Drain buckwheat in a sieve — do not rinse as that would wash away some of the enzymes at work. Keep 1/4 cup of soaked and drained groats aside. Put the bulk of drained buckwheat back into the bowl and blend with 1 cup of fresh water. The hand stick blender works well. Blend for about 2 minutes until there are no more whole buckwheat groats. The mixture will be like a thick pancake batter. Add 1 tea spoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (the second time) to aid the fermentation process. Then add the ¼ cup of soaked and drained groats, kept aside, back into the mixture. That gives some crunchy texture and further aids the fermentation process. Cover and leave on the bench at room temperature to ferment for another 24 hours.

Morning of day 3: Add 1 heaped teaspoon of salt (6g), 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks, and optionally, ½ cup of soaked seeds of your choice and/or 1 table spoon of honey, treacle, or molasses. Line your tin with baking paper, pour it into the tin and leave until the evening.

Bake in a 220 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes, then turn it down to 180oC. After 40–60 minutes, flick it out of the tin and put it back in the oven for another ten minutes. The actual time greatly varies with different types of ovens.

Cool on a rack and slice when cool. Keep your loaf stored airtight in the fridge; it will keep up to 10 days. Try toasted! With your favourite toppings, savoury or sweet!

Let’s look further afield, to our emerging ‘buckwheat tribe’! Our daughter Tania, living in Sweden, displays even more patience and takes the time to let it ferment over four days! Follow her video clips on instagram, for her variation of the recipe!

https://www.instagram.com/fourdaybread/

And then of course the ‘Little Seeds Bakery’. Such a wonderful new enterprise, situated in Lower Hutt, arising from our permaculture course 2016! Find Hamish on facebook https://www.facebook.com/littleseedsbakery/