INGREDIENTS
1 small cabbage (purple or green - I like to mix them up with a little of each)
2 carrots, washed & grated
1 apple, washed & grated
1 small beetroot, washed & grated
1 tablespoon flaked or crumbed seaweed - I use wakame flakes from Power Superfoods
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon grated ginger (or to your taste)
METHOD
1. Wash cabbage & remove outer leaves and keep fresher looking ones for later. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice your cabbage (I have found that the thinner the better as this makes it easier for massaging later)
2. Put chopped cabbage, grated carrots, beetroot and apple, salt, seaweed and ginger into a large bowl. Use your hands to massage the salt into the other ingredients - you can do this by grabbing a handful at a time and squeezing, place back in the bowl and pick up another handful. Keep doing this 'massaging' until the mixture gets soft and wet (see picture below) . You will find the more you massage the more liquid you get - this is great as this liquid allows the mixture to ferment without going off. Keep massaging until cabbage is limp and there is a good amount of liquid in the bowl. I usually do this for about 20 minutes (I pop on something to watch on my iPad as I massage away- today I watched the Song Keepers on SBS on Demand - highly recommend).
3. Place handfuls of sauerkraut mixture into sterilised glass jar then pour in some of the liquid. Use wooden spoon to press down mixture firmly into the jar and keep adding sauerkraut mixture until it firmly packed close to top with plenty of liquid over the top. Use the reserved outer cabbage leaf as a cover over the top of the sauerkraut mixture press it down so that liquid covers it and then pop on the lid.
4. Leave your jar of delicious sauerkraut at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for about 4 days. The fermentation will depend on the time of year and how fermented you like it :) Release the lid once a day to 'burp' your fermenting yumminess, this releases any gas bubbles and ensures the mixture remains covered by the liquid.
5. Taste from time to time and when you are happy with the flavour and level of fermentation pop it in the fridge - it should taste tangy and slightly bitter. Serve with anything - I love mine as part of a Buddha bowl but also with any main or through a salad - even on it's own - endless options!