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Fermentation of currant leaves is one of the ways to obtain high-quality raw materials for brewing a drink useful for the body. The purpose of the procedure is to convert the insoluble tissues of the leaf plates into soluble ones, which will allow the body to easily assimilate them.
Is it possible to ferment currant leaves
When choosing a plant for tea, it is necessary to focus on the presence of tannins (tannins) in it. Their presence is a guarantee of obtaining tasty raw materials for the drink. They are found in strawberries, cherries, and currants.
The maximum amount of tannins is contained in young leaf plates; in a coarsened leaf, the supply of these substances is much lower.
There are no certain varieties of currant recommended for the fermentation procedure, but aronia representatives of the culture are most often used.
Useful properties of fermented currant leaves
Any plant has a number of substances that can help the human body to function fully. Fermentation of currant leaves for tea allows you to take advantage of the following properties of the culture:
- strengthening the immune system;
- reduction of signs of toxicosis;
- elimination of insomnia;
- support for the function of the kidneys and urinary tract in various pathological conditions;
- normalization of digestion.
Currant tea is often prescribed to pregnant women during the period of colds, when other methods of treatment are inappropriate to use.
Preparing a currant leaf for fermentation
Neglecting the rules for harvesting raw materials and violating the stages of its processing significantly reduces the taste of the finished product.
Initially, for fermentation, it is required to collect the required amount of currant leaf. To do this, in dry weather, in the morning, you should cut off the leaf plates located in the shade. If they are dirty, then you need to wash them under running water. In the absence of obvious signs of contamination, currant leaves should not be rinsed: they contain bacteria that favorably contribute to the fermentation process.
The selected leaf plate must be whole, even green in color, without signs of damage: red or yellow spots, other external defects.
The collection of raw materials for fermentation is possible during the summer season: tea from spring leaves is more tender, with a pleasant delicate aroma. The maximum amount of nutrients accumulates in leaf plates when the plant begins to bear fruit. Autumn collection is ineffective: the fermentation process is more difficult, the raw materials require longer processing.
How to ferment currant leaves at home
Freshly harvested leaf plates must be withered. This procedure makes it possible to facilitate the further stages of currant leaf fermentation.
The collected currant raw materials for fermentation should be spread out on a linen towel or cotton fabric in a layer of 3-5 cm and left indoors. It is required to periodically mix the sheets so that they dry evenly. Sunlight should be avoided.
The duration of the process is up to 12 hours, it varies according to the humidity and temperature in the room. On warm days, the plant withers faster, during the rainy season, the fermentation stage lasts several days. The optimal indicators for the procedure are the room temperature + 20-24 ° C and air humidity up to 70%.
To determine the end of the fermentation stage, it is enough to fold the currant leaf in half: if there is a “crunch”, it is necessary to continue to wither the raw materials. A leaf plate ready for fermentation should not straighten out when compressed into a lump.
The next stage in the fermentation of a blackcurrant leaf is freezing. It is intended to facilitate subsequent processing. With a sharp decrease in temperature, the structure of cell membranes is disturbed, which leads to the release of juice.
To do this, the sheet plates are placed in a bag for 1-2 days in the freezer. After the time has elapsed, they should be removed and spread out in an even layer until completely defrosted.
The goal of the next stage of processing is the destruction of the leaf structure so that it releases the maximum amount of juice with beneficial substances. There are several ways of this stage of the procedure.
Rolling the sheet by hand
Several leaf plates, 7-10 pieces, are carefully rolled between the palms into a “roll” until the mass darkens from the juice that has come out. Subsequently, the raw materials rolled into a tube are cut, which makes it possible to obtain small-leaf tea.
Kneading-crumpling currant leaf
Outwardly, the procedure is similar to dough kneading: the leaves are crushed with squeezing movements in a deep bowl for 15-20 minutes, until the released juice appears, which is necessary for further fermentation.
The use of this method allows you to further obtain large-leaf tea from currants.
Twisting in a meat grinder
For the procedure, you can use both mechanical action and an electrical device. Sheet plates must be passed through a large grate. From the crushed mass, you can get granulated tea.
The taste and quality of the finished product depends on whether currant leaves are fermented correctly. It is important to ensure the necessary temperature and humidity during the procedure.
To do this, the processed leaves are placed in 7-10 layers in a plastic container, covered with linen cloth on top, a heavy object is placed on it, which will replace the press.
After that, the dishes must be transferred to a warm place, periodically check that the material does not dry out. To do this, it is moistened with water.
The duration of the process is individual: it is recommended to maintain the temperature in the room + 22-26 °C. At lower rates, currant leaf fermentation slows down or stops. Excessively high temperatures speed up the process, but the quality of the finished tea deteriorates significantly.
Drying tea
If the raw material was twisted or kneaded before fermenting the currant leaf, then it must be cut into pieces up to 0,5 cm in order to obtain a leafy tea. The plant, crushed by a meat grinder, does not need further processing.
The fermented mass should be laid out on baking sheets previously covered with baking paper.
Drying is carried out in an open oven for 1-1,5 hours, with uniform heating of 100 ° C, then the temperature must be reduced to 50-60 ° C and the procedure should be continued until the moisture has completely evaporated. It is important to mix the raw materials regularly. The finished currant leaf will break when pressed rather than crushed.
At the end of the process, tea must be removed from the oven, cooled and poured into cloth bags.
With proper fermentation of currant leaves and their drying, the granules have a faint smell, make a rustling sound if the fabric bag is shaken. The presence of a strong aroma is a sign of poorly cooked food: there is a high risk that the tea leaves will become moldy.
Application of fermented currant leaf
The brewing procedure does not have any peculiarities: the teapot must be thoroughly washed, then fermented currant leaves are poured into it, given that 1-1 tsp are needed for 2 glass of water. raw materials.
Brew the tea leaves processed by fermentation with boiling water, leave to infuse for 10-20 minutes, previously covered with a warm cloth. Before serving, it is necessary to pour part of the tea leaves into glasses, top up with hot water.
Terms and conditions of storage
Fermented currant leaves are recommended to be stored in glass or plastic containers. Birch bark boxes are suitable as containers. Packed tea must be moved to a dark, dry room. Stocks of currant leaves are recommended to be updated annually.
Conclusion
Fermentation of currant leaves is a fascinating, patient process that allows you to get a guaranteed quality product. Brewed tea is used not only as a tasty, but also a healthy drink.
