SAUERKRAUT

MAKES 2 X 500 ML JARS; ABOUT 20 X 50 G SERVINGS

KEEP ON TRACK per serving

FAT 0 G CARBS 2 G PROTEIN 1 G

1 medium head of green or purple cabbage

20 ml (4 tsp) Himalayan salt 15 ml (1 tbsp) caraway seeds

1. Discard the wilted outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters and trim out the core. Slice into very thin ribbons.

2. Place the cabbage in a big bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Start working the salt into the cabbage by massaging and squeezing it with your hands. At first it might not seem like enough, but gradually the cabbage will become watery and limp; this takes 5–10 minutes. Add the caraway seeds.

3. Pack the cabbage into the jars, pressing it down with your fist. Pour in any liquid released by the cabbage while you were massaging it into the jar.

4. The cabbage needs to remain submerged in the liquid. To weigh it down, you can use a small jar that fits into the mouth of the bigger one and fill it with something like ceramic baking beans to add weight.

5. Cover the mouth of each jar with a piece of clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band or string. This allows air to flow in and out, and prevents dust or insects from getting in.

6. Over the next 24 hours, press down on the cabbage every so often with the weight. As the cabbage releases its liquid, it will become limper and more compact and the liquid will rise over the top of the cabbage. If, after 24 hours, the liquid has not risen above the cabbage, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup water and add enough to submerge the cabbage.

7. Keep the cabbage in a cool, dark place. It will start to ferment after 3 days. While it’s fermenting, you may see bubbles coming through the jar, foam on top, or white scum. These are all signs of a healthy fermentation process, so don’t worry about them! The scum can be skimmed off the top either during fermentation or before refrigerating. If you see any mould, skim it off immediately and make sure your cabbage is fully submerged. Don’t eat mouldy parts close to the surface, but the rest of the sauerkraut will be fine.

8. When the sauerkraut tastes good to you, remove the weights, secure the lids and refrigerate. You could allow it to continue fermenting for 10 days or even longer if you like it really sour.

Sauerkraut is made using only salt. The juices from the cabbage are the only liquid that you will need.