Ingredients

• Sliced cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, beets or radishes cut into 1cm chunks (just enough to fit in a litre jar)
• Capsicums, onions, or garlic to season
• A few sprigs of parsley, cilantro, dill, oregano, or any other herb you have
• A couple of grape leaves or black tea (to keep them crunchy)
• 1 litre of warm filtered water
• 2 tablespoons sea or Himalayan salt

 

Method

1. Combine water and sea salt, stir well and set aside.

2. Add a few pinches of herbs and the vegetables of your choice along with the onion, garlic and fresh herbs like coriander or parsley, oregano, thyme to the bottom of a jar.

 

 

3. Fill the jar halfway up with chunks of vegetables. Add a bit more herbs and seasonings and fill the jar with more slices up to 2.5cm below the rim.

4. Pour salt-water brine over the vegetables. At this point, you want to weigh the vegetables down in order for it to remain below the level of the brine to ferment evenly. (I like to use a narrow glass weight, long strips of carrots, a sterlised rock, or a smaller glass jar filled with water that fits into my wide-mouth litre jar.  Just press it down until enough brine covers everything in the jar. 

5. Cover tightly with the lid. (if using a glass jar you can use cheesecloth or a towel to cover.  Allow to sit at room temperature, ideally between 15-26 degrees C. Check your jars and burp or open them every few days by loosening the lid and allowing some gas to escape. You will also see bubbles rise as the fermentation takes place which is perfectly normal.

6. Allow the vegetables to ferment 5 – 7days, depending on the temperature. Smell and taste and when you think they are ready, transfer the jar to the refrigerator.