Sauerkraut

Did you know that Sauerkraut means "Sour Cabbage?" - I bet you did!

And, did you know that the Chinese invented it, NOT the Germans? - I bet you did not know that!

The Chinese have been growing cabbage since 4000 BC and they invented this about 2000 years ago.  Sauerkraut is what kept the slaves going in the harsh winters when they were building the Great Wall of China. The Chinese people preserved the cabbage in rice wine and this health food kept them healthy in the worst conditions.  

Indeed, if you google sauerkraut, you will find a host of health benefits that humans have known about and used over the centuries.  It is rich in probiotics and vitamin C as well as potassium, iron and magnesium.

It is very easy to make and it has a long shelf life. So, without much ado, let us move on to the recipe.

My husband brought home a head of fresh red cabbage which is what started me on this journey. I normally buy just enough to make a side dish http://kitchenanugraha.blogspot.com/2020/09/cabbage-mezhukkupuratti-cabbage-stir-fry.html

But this time, I decided to try this out and I must say the results were awesome.

Ingredients:

1/2 a head of cabbage, shredded finely - I used red cabbage

1/2  tablespoon of rock salt crystals

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon chilli flakes

1 tablespoon dill seeds

Note:  You can use any ingredient that you wish to flavour your sauerkraut.  I used what I had in my pantry and that was home grown dill, some yellow mustard seeds and a spice I cannot be without - chilli flakes.

Method:

In a large stainless steel bowl, add the cabbage and rock salt crystals. With clean, dry hands, massage the salt into the cabbage.  The cabbage will start to ooze water.  Keep mixing and let it rest for an hour or so.  After an hour, massage it some more, close the container with cling wrap and place a couple of weights on top to help the cabbage to release more water. 

Come back in a couple of hours and you should have some water on top of the cabbage.  Add your spices and mix well. 

Pour into a sterilised, dry mason jar and press the cabbage down with a dry spoon so that the juices collect on top.

Close the lid and leave it in your pantry.  If you do not have enough water, add salt water - 1 teaspoon sea salt to 1 cup water and add it to your cabbage.

Every day, make sure you still have water in the jar and let the gases out of the jar - in my case the lid would come off slightly and I would open it fully, release the gases and close the lid again.

After 20 days of opening and shutting the lid, I tasted the cabbage and it had turned sour and the flavours of the spices had infused into the cabbage.

You can also see the water that has oozed out of the cabbage:

Things to note:

1.  If the temperature in your pantry is too hot, the fermentation will take place too quick and the cabbage will lose its crunchy texture and become "cooked".

2. If your pantry is too cold, then it takes a very long time for fermentation to occur.