Mango Ginger Soda Recipes

MANGO GINGERBREAD WITH MACADAMIA STREUSEL

Steps:

• For streusel:
• Stir all ingredients in small bowl to blend.
• For gingerbread:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Coarsely puree mangoes in food processor. Transfer 1 cup mango puree to large bowl (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Add buttermilk, oil, and eggs to puree; whisk until blended. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined. Transfer half of batter (about 2 cups) to prepared pan. Sprinkle half of streusel over. Spoon remaining batter over, smooth evenly with spatula, then sprinkle with remaining streusel.
• Bake bread until springy to touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.) Cut bread into 9 squares and serve.
• Baker's wisdom:
• Buttermilk and baking soda help give the gingerbread a tender texture.

GINGER BUG RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel the ginger, and chop or slice.
• In a 1-quart glass jar, combine the water, ginger, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
• Cover the jar with fine-weave cloth (layer it if needed) and secure with a rubber band or string. Place the jar in a warm location.
• After 24 hours, feed the ginger bug by stirring in 2 tablespoons each of ginger and sugar. Repeat the feedings daily for 4 to 6 days.
• The ginger bug is ready when bubbles form, it fizzes when stirred, and it smells yeasty and gingery, almost like beer.
• Prepare 7 1/2 cups of the soda base (either cooled sweet tea, fruit juice, or lemonade). Strain 1/2 cup of liquid from the ginger bug. Replace the liquid by adding 1/2 cup water to the ginger bug jar. You can put the ginger bug to "sleep" by storing it in the refrigerator or begin the fermentation process again with daily feedings. For the first 2 days, use 1 teaspoon each of ginger and sugar, then 2 tablespoons each for the remaining 4 to 6 days.
• Combine the soda base and ginger bug, stirring to combine.
• Use a funnel to fill bottles, leaving between 1/2 and 1 inch of headspace. Seal and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days, or until it reaches the desired carbonation. This process is similar to the secondary fermentation of kombucha . Use either glass or plastic bottles; 8 cups will fill three 16-ounce bottles with appropriate headspace. When using glass, "burp" the bottles-briefly open then seal again-daily to release excess carbon dioxide and avoid a possible explosion.
• After bottle fermentation is complete, refrigerate the bottles. Drink cold within a few weeks, after which it will lose carbonation. Enjoy!

MANGO-GINGER KOMBUCHA

Steps:

• Heat 3 cups of the filtered water to 200 degrees F in an electric kettle and place the tea leaves in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Pour the water over the tea leaves and let steep for 10 minutes. (If using a traditional kettle or pot, bring the water to a boil and let cool for 1 for 2 minutes before using.)
• Strain the steeped tea into a 1-gallon glass jar. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Discard the tea leaves.
• Add the remaining 8 cups filtered water to lower the temperature to lukewarm. If the water is still warmer than 100 degrees F, leave on the counter for 10 minutes, then recheck. Anything hotter than 100 degrees F can damage the SCOBY.
• Add the kombucha and the SCOBY. Cover the jar with a coffee filter secured with a rubber band and place in a warm, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight until the mixture begins to take on a pleasantly sour and tangy flavor and is lightly effervescent, 2 to 3 weeks. The ideal fermentation temperature is between 75 and 85 degrees F.
• When you're happy with the flavor, wash your hands very well. Gently remove the SCOBY and transfer to a clean bowl. Reserve 2 cups of the kombucha and add to the bowl with the SCOBY.
• Add the mango and the ginger to the jar with the remaining kombucha. Re-cover with the coffee filter and rubber band. Let sit at room temperature until the kombucha has taken on the flavor of the fruit and ginger, 2 to 4 days. Meanwhile, you can start a second batch of kombucha with the SCOBY and reserved 2 cups of plain kombucha, following the same steps above using a clean 1-gallon glass jar (see Cook's Note).
• When the flavored kombucha is ready, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl. Discard the solids, then divide the kombucha evenly among six to eight 12- to 16-ounce plastic soda bottles with tight-fitting lids Be sure to leave at least 1 1/2 inches of headspace in each bottle for gas to expand. Twist the lids on tightly and park on the counter until the bottles are firm to the touch, indicating that the kombucha is carbonated, 1 to 3 days. Move to the fridge and chill before drinking. The kombucha will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.