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Sourdough Starter

Starter is basically natural yeast consist of flour and water. It needs time, air and feedings in order to grown up become stronger yeast for baking bread. The longer it is, the stronger it is and sourer it is.

Basic recipe for the starter is

100 gr rye flour or strong bread flour or whole wheat flour
100 ml water
this is the common recipe that people use to make starter.
In this video, I show you the consistency mixture of flour and water (Sourdough Starter)


In my experiment kitchen, I have made 4 different starter in 4 countries (West Africa, Germany, Indonesia, India).  The best flour that I used is the one in Germany, but I can not always have what I want. I have to adjust myself with the product that I get locally.

I found out it is easier to make starter by adding a teaspoon yogurt in the first and second feeding. It grows quicker and stronger.

Here is my recipe.
50 gr strong bread flour or whole wheat flour
50 ml water
1 tsp yogurt

Method is
1. Mix the ingredients in a tall narrow glass jar. Please use a clean jar, you may sterile it first with some warm water.
2. Place the jar in the warm place, cover the mouth of jar with plastic wrap or donot close tightly if your jar has a lid.
3. Cover again the jar in a plastic bag so it is darker. This is what I found out that the starter likes darker place.
The appearance of 2nd day with small bubble on the surface.

4. Let it grows up for 12 hours. Normally nothing is happened.
5. The next day-2nd, feed the starter with 50 gr flour, 50 gr water, 1 tsp yogurt. Mix them well. Cover it back, let it grows for another 24 hours.
6. The next day-3rd, remove out a tablespoon of starter and throw it away or you may use it to make pancake. Feed it with 50 gr flour and 50 ml water. Mix them well. Cover it back, let it grows for another 24 hours.
7. The next day-4th, check the starter, it should be double in size and grows. At this time, you can use the starter for pancake. if not, just feed it again with 50 gr flour and 50 ml water.
The bubble of starter (all purpose flour) works out. They are breathing and working out. 
The bubble of starter (Whole wheat flour) works out. The bubbles are more than all purpose flour's bubbles

8. The next day - 5th, check th starter, it should be double in size. You may use it for baking bread by feeding them again with more amount of flour and water (depends on bread recipe).

Tips. You may keep half of the starter in the chiller / refrigerator for the next usage (if you do not bake often). Feed the starter once in three/four days to keep it alive.
If you do often bake, just keep it in the counter and keep feeding it when you do use it.

Here is my recent photo of starter that I took out in the morning from chiller and feed it twice (each 12 hours). It is just awesome growth. 
After 2-3 hours feeding time, in order to ensure that starter is strong enough for baking, you may do the floating test as below. In a glass of water, drop a spoon of starter. If they float, it means the starter is pretty strong. Sometimes the starter will drop down to the bottom of the glass, it means the starter is not strong enough, they need more time and feeding to work out.
Floating test

Below I show you the picture of my sourdough starter as it is in the fridge for the some days. I store them in air-tight container and feed them once in 3-4 days. Everytime I use them, I feed them and place it back into fridge.  





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