Did you ever think the day would come where kraut was a topic du jour?
Yeah me neither.
So unless you’re not hip to the word on the street, the street is talking all about the F word…. Ferment.
Why?…
Because of the crazy health benefits that can come from properly fermented foods.
You can’t go into any grocery store these days without seeing a plethora of products, kimchi, kraut, and pickley things. Or you can make use of some of your salad drawer leftover radishes, (I mean how many radishes can you eat?) and make beautiful fermented radishes.
Fermentation has been around for years, like bwf (before whole foods) It may be popular now, but this is one “trend” that has stood the test of time and here is why your body loves it,
Immune system.
The health of our gut, predicts the health of ourselves. Our immune system is directly related to everything happening down in there. And the more good guys we have in our court, the better. Fermented foods naturally introduce healthy probiotics into our gut that help with a strong immune system and a thriving digestive system. These are two key factors in optimal living.
Digestion.
basically the process of fermentation breaks down the natural carbohydrates and sugars, pre digesting them allowing for better absorption of vitamins and minerals and eases digestion with the release of enzymes that help our stomach make the most of what we put in it, in the easiest way possible.
Antioxidants.
The more the better. We want antioxidants going to town all over our body, tracking down the bad dudes(free radicals…really not so radical) and knocking them out before they have a fighting chance
K, so wanna dabble….
Here is my first go at naturally fermented easter egg radishes. I had more than I could know what to do with and so couldn’t wait to add some culture 😉 to my repertoire. It’s super easy, an experiment, and you’ll learn what you like as you go.
WHAT YOU”LL NEED
- 1 mason jar
- a smaller jar that can fit inside to weight down the top
- a tea towel
- elastic band
- Sea salt and water
- Your veg (radishes, cabbage, etc)
- spices if you choose
- Begin with well washed everything. You want to work with sterile jars, utensils and well washed vegetables. Don’t worry, the bacteria will still grow.
- Place all your sliced veg, for me, my radishes, evenly sliced in layers until about an inch from the top. I shoved in some garlic too for good measure. surprise surprise.
- In a bowl, dissolve and mix your sea salt in your water completely.
- Pour this brine over top of your radishes. You want your liquid to cover the top of your veg.
- Place your weight (jar filled with water etc) on top of your veg, making sure that everything stays submerged under the water.
- Cover with a tea towel and wrap an elastic bad over top lid area, and put somewhere dark.
- Now you wait…
- So over the course of the week, you can check in. If you do see a mould develop on top, you can just scour off.
- After a week, you can test away. If it is just to your liking, place in fridge and enjoy.. but feel free to let it ferment even more. When the taste you desire is achieved, just seal and store in the fridge
Voila! Your avo toast is about to get artisinal with this topper. And you’re going to be digesting that so well, you can maybe get some dessert in too 😉
K, get your culture on. bon apetite
