Do you like sauerkraut? No, not the stuff you buy in a can at the grocery store, but the good stuff? The stuff your German grandmother insists on making every year even though your family can never get through it all? Did you know that sauerkraut is just one of the many kinds of fermented food? That's right: fermented foods have been around for centuries, and there are fermented foods in every culture. Of course, beer, wine, cheese and yogurt are examples of fermented foods that are popular in mainstream Western culture, but there are endless ways to preserve food using fermentation. These days, it's a trendy health craze in locavore/ crazy hippy/ homesteader communities all over the place-- and I have wholeheartedly climbed on that bandwagon. So, I'm going to tell you a bit more about fermented foods and why they are good for you-- and then I am going to share a yummy recipe for some fermented carrots that I just tried for the first time!
The process of preserving vegetables by allowing them to naturally ferment is called lacto-fermentation. The method gets its name from the bacteria that do the work: a lactic acid producing genus of bacteria called Lactobacillus. These bacteria are also responsible for the fermentation that creates yogurt, cheese, beer, wine, cocoa, kimchi, tofu, and sourdough bread! They work by breaking down the carbohydrates (sugars and starches) in food and creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The lactic acid not only preserves the vegetables, but it is also really good for you.
You already know that eating yogurt is good for you because it contains live bacteria that help you digest better, right? I hope so. Well, this is pretty much the same concept, but with some additional bonuses. First of all, fermentation actually enhances the nutrient content of the vegetables, and adds B vitamins. Also, the bacteria actually makes the food more digestible, since it is already starting the process of breaking down the food for you, and adds beneficial enzymes, which help your body extract more nutrition from the food.
In addition to the health benefits, there are environmental benefits to lacto-fermented foods, too. Before there were refrigerators, freezers, or even pressure canners, there was fermentation: a surefire way to keep your vegetables through winter-- and a method that requires very little energy (human or otherwise!) Fermented foods do not need to be refrigerated, because of the aforementioned lactic acid, and they will keep for several months (or in some cases, indefinitely!). However, once the initial fermentation is finished, it's good to keep them in a cool place, like a basement or cellar, to slow the fermentation process.
But wait! Aren't they going to go bad? What if I get the wrong bacteria?!?! What if I get botchulism!!!!!!!???
Well, don't fret. The likelihood of you getting botchulism from fermented vegetables is pretty slim. You see, botchulism spores usually don't take hold unless they have no other competition. That's why botchulism happens most often in canned foods: the heat of the canning process kills off the other bacteria, but botchulism is resistant to heat, so it survives and poisons your canned foods. But then why are pickles and jam and tomatoes safe? Good question! It's because they are acidic, and botchulism spores can't grow in acid. And as we have already discussed, there's plenty of acid in fermented foods.
Had enough science for today? Okay fine. This recipe is really delicious and pretty easy too. So give it a try!
Fermented Ginger Carrots
You'll need:
grated carrots, about 4 1/2 cups
grated ginger, about 2 tbsp
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp salt
1) Grate the carrots. 6 or 7 should do, but keep grating until you have enough to fill a quart jar. You can also consider cutting the recipe in half if you aren't sure you are going to like them.
2) Grate some ginger and throw it in: about 2 tbsp per quart of carrots.
3) Throw a cup or so of the carrots into the blender with some water-- about 1/2 cup of water per quart of grated carrots. Blend for 10 seconds or so. This give the bacteria a bit of a head start.
4) Mix the blended carrots together with the rest, add a tbsp of salt (sea salt if you have it), and stir well to distribute the salt and blended carrots evenly. Let this mixture sit for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the salt pull some moisture out of the carrots.
5) Pack the mixture into a quart jar as tightly as possible, leaving a centimeter or two of liquid about the packed carrots and about an inch of head space above the liquid. Place the lid on the jar and turn the ring slightly, but do NOT tighten completely: the fermentation releases gas and causes the mixture to expand slightly. If you tighten the ring, you will have contents under pressure!
6) Wait for 3 to 7 days. Keep the jar on a plate or absorbent cloth in case it leaks. Each day, wash your hands and pack down the carrots again-- it is important that they stay submerged in liquid. They will puff up as the bacteria does its work, so you'll need to be diligent about this.
On the third day, give them a taste. They should have a tangy zip to them. That's the lactic acid! And the ginger flavour will have permeated the slaw. If you want more sour flavour or if you aren't sure they are fermented enough, leave them at room temperature for even longer. The warmer it is, the faster the fermentation will happen. If you are happy with the taste, store the carrots in the fridge. They should keep for several months, if not indefinitely.
If you enjoy this recipe and are interested in getting more info on making fermented foods, you'll find everything you ever wanted to know and more at http://wildfermentation.com.
The process of preserving vegetables by allowing them to naturally ferment is called lacto-fermentation. The method gets its name from the bacteria that do the work: a lactic acid producing genus of bacteria called Lactobacillus. These bacteria are also responsible for the fermentation that creates yogurt, cheese, beer, wine, cocoa, kimchi, tofu, and sourdough bread! They work by breaking down the carbohydrates (sugars and starches) in food and creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The lactic acid not only preserves the vegetables, but it is also really good for you.
You already know that eating yogurt is good for you because it contains live bacteria that help you digest better, right? I hope so. Well, this is pretty much the same concept, but with some additional bonuses. First of all, fermentation actually enhances the nutrient content of the vegetables, and adds B vitamins. Also, the bacteria actually makes the food more digestible, since it is already starting the process of breaking down the food for you, and adds beneficial enzymes, which help your body extract more nutrition from the food.
In addition to the health benefits, there are environmental benefits to lacto-fermented foods, too. Before there were refrigerators, freezers, or even pressure canners, there was fermentation: a surefire way to keep your vegetables through winter-- and a method that requires very little energy (human or otherwise!) Fermented foods do not need to be refrigerated, because of the aforementioned lactic acid, and they will keep for several months (or in some cases, indefinitely!). However, once the initial fermentation is finished, it's good to keep them in a cool place, like a basement or cellar, to slow the fermentation process.
But wait! Aren't they going to go bad? What if I get the wrong bacteria?!?! What if I get botchulism!!!!!!!???
Well, don't fret. The likelihood of you getting botchulism from fermented vegetables is pretty slim. You see, botchulism spores usually don't take hold unless they have no other competition. That's why botchulism happens most often in canned foods: the heat of the canning process kills off the other bacteria, but botchulism is resistant to heat, so it survives and poisons your canned foods. But then why are pickles and jam and tomatoes safe? Good question! It's because they are acidic, and botchulism spores can't grow in acid. And as we have already discussed, there's plenty of acid in fermented foods.
Had enough science for today? Okay fine. This recipe is really delicious and pretty easy too. So give it a try!
Fermented Ginger CarrotsYou'll need:
grated carrots, about 4 1/2 cups
grated ginger, about 2 tbsp
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp salt
1) Grate the carrots. 6 or 7 should do, but keep grating until you have enough to fill a quart jar. You can also consider cutting the recipe in half if you aren't sure you are going to like them.
2) Grate some ginger and throw it in: about 2 tbsp per quart of carrots.
3) Throw a cup or so of the carrots into the blender with some water-- about 1/2 cup of water per quart of grated carrots. Blend for 10 seconds or so. This give the bacteria a bit of a head start.
5) Pack the mixture into a quart jar as tightly as possible, leaving a centimeter or two of liquid about the packed carrots and about an inch of head space above the liquid. Place the lid on the jar and turn the ring slightly, but do NOT tighten completely: the fermentation releases gas and causes the mixture to expand slightly. If you tighten the ring, you will have contents under pressure!
6) Wait for 3 to 7 days. Keep the jar on a plate or absorbent cloth in case it leaks. Each day, wash your hands and pack down the carrots again-- it is important that they stay submerged in liquid. They will puff up as the bacteria does its work, so you'll need to be diligent about this.
If you enjoy this recipe and are interested in getting more info on making fermented foods, you'll find everything you ever wanted to know and more at http://wildfermentation.com.
