Fermented Vegetables

GF, DF, PF, SF, DBF, AC, VV

 

Fermented foods have been part of many traditional cultures diets for hundreds of years, as a natural way to preserve food and support digestive health.  You may have heard of sauerkraut, which is fermented cabbage traditionally consumed in Germany, or Kimchi the traditional fermented vegetable dish of Korea and Bulgarians traditionally consumed plenty of fermented milk and kefir.  Eating naturally fermented foods, like these delicious fermented vegetables, is a fantastic way of introducing probiotics, or good bacteria into your diet.   Probiotics are essential for maintaining the balance of good and bad bacteria within your gut – which form what’s known as your microbiome – the foundation of your mental,  immune and digestive health.

Making your own fermented vegetables is super simple and although it requires some preparation time and a little bit of experimentation to get right, it’s worth the effort considering the health benefits to your gut, not to mention the money you will save in buying them.

The best way to ensure success when fermenting your own veges, is to use a starter culture, because not only will this will give you a more consistent result and cut down on the fermentation time, but it will provide your gut with a broader range of beneficial bacterial strains, which will increase the levels of certain nutrients and vitamins and make them more easily absorbed by your cells, compared to just using salt.  Be aware that starter cultures can vary in quality, but in my experience using the whey from sheep’s yoghurt is an easy and inexpensive starter culture and it’s cow’s dairy free, or you can simply empty the powder from a quality dairy free probiotic capsule. Be sure to use really fresh, organic vegetables, like carrots and cabbage – the cabbage should form the bulk of your mix.

 

What you will need…

3 cabbage heads, use a food processor or mandolin to shred, or slice very finely with a large kitchen knife

6 carrots, peeled and shredded in the food processor

1 large or 2 medium beetroots, peeled and grated

1 cup of freshly made celery juice – use your juicer to make this fresh

1 large knob of ginger, peeled and diced

2 green apples peeled and shredded (optional)

1/2 cup of caraway seeds (optional)

¼ teaspoon of dairy free probiotic culture for every 3 cups of vegetables

 

How to make…

Shred the cabbage and carrot using a mandolin, or slice very finely using a large kitchen knife and then grate the fresh peeled beetroot.

In a large porcelain or glass bowl, combine the veges with the celery juice and the probiotic culture – avoid using any metal utensils as this will react with the culture.

Transfer the mix to mason jars and tightly pack the mixture into each jar, using a potato masher or your fingers, to remove any air pockets.

Place a cabbage leaf on the top of the mixture, tucking it down the sides to keep the vegetables beneath the brine. Put the jar lids on loosely, as the jars will expand during fermentation due to gases produced. If you screw the lids on too tightly the jar may crack or explode.

Store the jars in a relatively warm place for several days (ideally around 23° C). During the summer, veggies will typically take three to four days to fully ferment and up to seven days in winter – you may need to wrap the jars in a towel to keep them warm enough to ferment in winter.

Once the veges have fermented for long enough, store them in the refrigerator to prevent ongoing fermentation. The fermented veggies will keep for two to six months. Over time the vegetables will lose their crispiness.

Remember to be patient with your first attempt as this may not work out as well as when you have had some practice – took me a couple of goes!

 

Sally’s Tips… Add a serving of approximately 2 tablespoons to your lunch or dinner or on top of a salad

All rights reserved Copyright Sally Joseph 2015

For more health tips and delicious recipes, checkout my e-book, Eat Yourself Healthy. It's not just a healthy diet, but a way of life, so you can feel better than you have ever felt before .