Three wild fermented krauts

By: David Frenkiel, Luise Vindahl Andersen
From: Green Kitchen At Home
Makes: 1.5 kg
Photographer: David Frenkiel

Fermented foods are one of the healthiest things you can treat yourself to. They have been through a process called lacto fermentation in which bacteria feeds off the sugar and starch in the food, creating lactic acid. It is a probiotic strain of bacteria that helps our gut stay balanced and healthy.

Yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh and sauerkraut are all types of fermented foods. One of our absolute favourites is sauerkraut. Regardless of its health advantages, we make and eat it because it tastes so good. It has a mildly acidic tanginess and freshness and adds a flavour punch to whatever we pair it with.

There are many ways to start a fermentation, but the easiest and most genuine is called wild fermentation and you only need two ingredients for it – cabbage and salt.

We learnt this process from two wonderful women in Bondi, Australia. Brenda and Vivianne run a small sauerkraut company there and they taught us how to make the Golden Sauerkraut that we are sharing here. From that recipe, we experimented with other flavourings. The golden one is very spicy and flavourful with anti-inflammatory ingredients. The green is bright and fresh and the ruby red is holiday-flavoured with tones of clove and cinnamon.

Use organic vegetables for fermenting and don’t wash or scrub them too much, as this can destroy the natural enzymes on the vegetables.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient

Golden sauerkraut

Quantity	Ingredient
1.4kg	green cabbage, trimmed, and
2	outer leaves, set aside for sealing
3	carrots, tops removed and peeled
2	cloves of garlic, peeled
11/2 tablespoons	ground turmeric
1 tablespoon	sea salt
1 tablespoon	peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon	peeled and grated fresh turmeric, (optional)
1/2 tablespoon	caraway seeds
1/2 tablespoon	fennel seeds

Green cabbage, fennel and apple sauerkraut

Quantity	Ingredient
1.4kg	green cabbage, trimmed, and
2	outer leaves, set aside for sealing
1	fennel bulb, stalks and fronds removed
1	onion, peeled
2	apples, cored
1 tablespoon	sea salt
1 teaspoon	fennel seeds

Ruby red holiday sauerkraut

Quantity	Ingredient
1.4kg	red cabbage, trimmed, and
2	outer leaves, set aside for sealing
1	red onion, peeled
400g	raw beetroots, tops removed and peeled
1 tablespoon	sea salt
3	star anise
1 teaspoon	whole cloves
1 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon	whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon	cardamom seeds

Method

Before you start: For each of these recipes you will need 1 large sterilised jar, or 2 smaller jars. To sterilise your jar(s), preheat the oven to 180°C, remove the rubber ring from the lid and place the jar(s) in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and place the jar(s) in the oven for 10 minutes to dry. Soak the rubber ring in hot water for a couple of minutes and dry thoroughly.
Thinly slice the cabbage, fennel or onion, grate the carrots, apples or beetroot and finely chop the garlic. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.
Using your hands (it pays to wear disposable rubber gloves to prevent your hands from staining), mix and massage the vegetables intensely for about 10 minutes, until they are tender and very juicy. You may need to add more salt if the vegetables don’t release enough juices. How much juice they release will depend on the season and how fresh the produce is.
Pack the sauerkraut tightly into one or two sterilised sealable glass jars, cover with the juices, top with the reserved cabbage leaves and seal.
Store the sauerkraut at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 2–4 weeks or until the veggies have fermented. When ready, the kraut should be softly textured but not mushy and have a fresh, spicy and acidic flavour. Remove the cabbage leaves and store in the fridge. It will keep for a few months.

Tips:

Alternatively, instead of slicing the vegetables, use a food processor with a slicing or shredding attachment.

We usually divide the fermented vegetables between smaller sterilised jars to give to friends and family or keep in the fridge.

While fermenting, some of the juice might leak through the lid and this can smell quite unpleasant. If this happens, place the jars in a bowl inside a plastic bag and close it. Then place in a cupboard and drain the leaked juices after about 3 days.

If the top is discoloured or has a bit of mould, don’t be alarmed – just remove it and wipe around with a clean cloth or just change the jars.

Tags:

Three wild fermented krauts

Ingredients

Golden sauerkraut

Green cabbage, fennel and apple sauerkraut

Ruby red holiday sauerkraut

Method

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