My mum is German, so she always had sauerkraut around, and this recipe has become a staple I use to add flavor, cultured probiotics, and vitamin C goodness to many meals and keep my gut on track. I love to use it in my Nourishing Tempeh Bowl (page 89) for that extra kick of fermented nourishment!
INGREDIENTS (12 Servings):
1 tablespoon sea salt
3 cups filtered water or celery juice
5 small or 3–4 large, dense cabbages, outer leaves separated and kept whole, inner leaves shredded in a food processor
12 medium-large carrots, peeled and grated
1 head Chinese bok choy, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
Garlic cloves, peeled, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve the salt in the water or celery juice and set aside.
2. Add the cabbage, carrots, bok choy, and onion to a large bowl and pound with a blunt tool to release their juices.
3. Stir the vegetables well, then add as many cloves of garlic as you like. Divide the mixture between clean glass jars, leaving 2 to 2½ inches of space at the top. Push the mixture down as far as possible to remove air bubbles, then top with a cabbage leaf, tucking it down over the top.
4. Pour the brine over the vegetables in each jar until they are fully submerged. If desired, use a weight, such as a small zip-top bag filled with brine, to hold the vegetables down during fermentation. Cover loosely with a two-piece canning lid.
5. Store the jars at room temperature for 28 days. Every 2 days, uncover and use a clean spoon to push the ingredients below the brine, allowing gas to escape from the jar and ensuring that the vegetables are fully submerged (if they are not, mix up a little more water and salt and add to the jar to prevent mold from forming).
6. Refrigerate after 28 days and enjoy!