Sliced Vegetable Lacto-Ferment
Vegetable lacto-ferments are teeming with beneficial bacteria that help restore and maintain a healthy gut, including the gut microbiome. Their enzymes and organic acids also aid in breaking down food and reducing inflammation in the digestive tract.
Are you ready to bring fermentation into your own kitchen? Here’s how to make a vibrant, probiotic-rich vegetable ferment from scratch.
Ingredients
3 medium to large wombok cabbages
Natural sea salt (non-iodised)
2 large carrots
2 kohlrabi
2 fennel bulbs
2 inch ginger knob
EQUIPMENT
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Large mixing bowl
Fermentation crock or 1L glass jar with a lid
Fermentation weight
Sterilise your equipment to your liking. Being by removing the outer leaves of the cabbage and place them to the side. Now cut the cabbage in half and again into quarters. Remove the core and discard. Use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage into thin and even strips. Weigh the cabbage and then calculate the salt percentage at a 2.5% concentration.*
Add the sliced cabbage and salt into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the top before massaging the salt into the cabbage. Set aside for 10 minutes until the cabbage begins release moisture and soften. During this time, shred the carrots and kohlrabi. Blitz the fennel bulbs and ginger knob. Combine the vegetables and weigh the vegetables before working out the salt concentration for them.
Transfer the vegetables and extra salt to the salted cabbage and mix together. Now transfer the mixture, as well as any liquid it has released into the sterilised sauerkraut crock or 1L glass jar. Then pack it down firmly to release any bubbles. It should be completely covered in liquid. If it isn’t, add enough filtered water to completely cover the mixture.
Use the fermentation weight to weigh down the mixture. Grab the outer leaves and fold them over until they fit on top of the weight and allows the weight to be fully submerged in liquid. Now place the crock lid on top, or loosely cover the jar/s with the lid. If using jars, a clean cloth or paper towel may also be secured around the nape of the jars. Place the crock or jars in a dark and cool place for about five days and upwards for four weeks, dependent on your climate. The ideal fermenting temperature is between 15-24 degrees Celsius. The mixture can be tasted periodically to measure when it is ready.
Once ready, the fermented vegetables should become kimchi. The taste profile should be tangy and salty, with a texture of crispness and crunch. Remove the outer cabbage leaves and discard. If using a crock, move mixture into a sterilised glass jar. Secure the lid onto the jar and store in the fridge for up to several months.
*For example, if the sliced cabbage weighs 500g, multiple 500 by 0.025. This equals 12.5, which means you will need to add 12.5g of salt to the cabbage.
