Sour rye starter for żurek
Among typical Easter dishes, as is commonly known, one of the stars is the wonderful soup called żurek (or white borscht). And where there’s żurek, there’s also the starter - the better it is, the better :)) Preparing your own starter requires only patience and a few ingredients. Depending on which soup you decide to prepare, you should choose the appropriate flour for the starter.
Żurek made with homemade starter is an ideal option for the family holiday table. Here is our recipe for an excellent starter using wholemeal rye flour. Give it a try! :)
Notes
Preparation:
Thoroughly wash the spoon, mixing paddle, and jar, then scald them with, for example, boiling water to sanitize. Pour the water into the jar or another vessel and add the flour in portions, stirring constantly, e.g. with a wooden whisk, until a smooth mixture is obtained. Add the bay leaves and allspice, as well as the garlic (you can cut each clove in half to release more aroma).
Cover the prepared starter with gauze (do not screw the jar shut) and leave it for 3–5 days in a warm room. To speed up the fermentation process, you can add a piece of natural bread to the starter.
Check the status of the starter every day—whether any contamination has occurred and whether the aroma is correct. The ready starter will have visible air bubbles on the surface and a slightly sour smell.
You can pour the finished starter into a bottle, cap it, and store it for about 14 days. If you have some starter left, you can add more portions of flour, water, and spices and reactivate it.
1 L of the prepared starter is enough for 2 L of broth.
