The nation that eats the most of this food also enjoys one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Perhaps that's not a coincidence, according to a new scientific review...
I imagine that the real trick is eating fermented cruciferous vegetables in general, and there are lots of options there. Kimchi is just one of them. I've been fermenting my own veggies for years. My favorite is a 50-50 mix of red cabbage and white cauliflower. I just cut them up, pack them into a glass jar, place an uncut leaf of the red cabbage on top, fill it to the top with salt water (2 tbsp. of iodine-free salt per quart of water) and stick it in the cupboard for a week or so before moving it to the fridge. I use an old cottage cheese container to capture the overflow as it ferments and refill the jar with more salt water after two or three of days. The end result is a uniform pink color, so uniform that I have to look really close to see whether a particular piece started off as red cabbage or white cauliflower. I don't believe it's really necessary to eat large servings of it. I add about two tablespoons of one of my fermented veggies to my dinner every night. I'm 73 years old, not taking a single Big Pharma product (not so much as a stinking baby aspirin), and in excellent health. I figure that in just a few more years my life will be close to half over. I have every expectation of making it to at least 150.
Along with sauerkraut and horseradish, we eat fermented garlic. A Persian tradition ( Torshi Sir) of covering whole cloves of garlic in red wine vinegar with a dash of salt in 76 ounce glass pickling jar. Let sit for at least a year, in a cool dark location. The garlic should have turned dark brown before eating. We have some vintages that are over 15 years old… only reserved for special dinners.
Hi Jennifer, lots of recipes on line, we just do the garlic, RWV and a touch of salt. The end product is what is found in garlic supplements like Koyolic (SP?) and Black Garlic. We put a jar up every summer and let it sit. Usually do not eat until about 3 years on, so we are always adding to the supply. I must say people are quite set back when we serve it, but once they taste it, they start jarring up themselves. ❤️
We make fermented foods in México too! Not only kimchi but tomatoes and tomatillos contain lactobacillus and ferment a little more quickly than cabbage. Add garlic and [jalapeños, serranos, habaneros] chiles to taste. Example here:
Agreed, everyone needs daily fermented foods. I’ve been making kimchi and sauerkraut for many years now. It really is pretty easy. A good book as a launching point that really explains all the basics on how to ferment pretty much anything is “Wild Fermentation”.
Sure...here is the sauerkraut. if it isn’t clear enough, please feel free to ask for clarification. I was trying to be brief as I reasonably could.
Two heads of cabbage (I usually use one purple and one green), 2 apples, 2-4 jalapeños (or others, plus it’s optional), 3-4 garlic cloves, Sometimes I also slice carrots to add too.
Coarsely chop the vegetables, finely chop the garlic. Mix them together in smallish amounts into a large bowl (maybe 2 big double hands full) adding a tablespoon of sea salt with each add. Mix the salt in well.
Once you have it all mixed and salted…I use a 2 gallon crock, but you can use wide mouth Mason jars too…TIGHTLY pack the mix into the crock, adding small amounts and packing down with your fist. You want to get as many air pockets out as you can.
Once it’s all packed, you’ll need a cover. I have a plate that is about the perfect size to fit in my crock. I place the plate in upside down, and then weight it down on the mixture with an old vinegar jug filled with water. Cover it all with a towel to keep dust or whatever out. Press down on the plate/jug several times the first day to keep packing. After a couple of hours you should start hearing the juices come out of the cabbage and squish around when you press. If it doesn’t you can add a little brine (1 tbsp sea salt in one cup water).
I usually ferment for only 5-7 days as loving in Texas our house stays pretty warm. In colder areas it can take longer to get to the “sourness” that you prefer. I put it into wide mouth jars, again packing it in tight, and into the fridge.
Yes. And we also pollute the heck out of the environment (much more so than they do in Europe), which leads to contaminated food and water -- sadly, even food that is supposedly organic (bees don't know about property lines)...
Yes. This food will save your life and sanity. I’ve gone back and forth between a lousy diet (eating out because I’m very busy with my job working long hours,) and re-establishing my fermented foods. It is night and day for me in terms of my mood, bodily inflammation which affects other aspects of my life like sleep. It is true that your gut/microbiome is like a 2nd brain. They are intimately connected. I believe depression along with a host of neuro psychiatric conditions could be healed cutting out processed food and sugar. Sorry beginning to preach...FERMENTED FOODS = LIFE AND LONGEVITY!
I’ve known about the health benefits of fermented foods for quite a while now, problem is I just don’t like most of them (kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles). Any other suggestions for tasty fermented foods? I do like pickled ginger! ( not sure that counts as fermented)
Yes i have organic kimchi in my fridge. I love fermented foods like all sauerkrauts, fermented onions and other veggies and have for a good long time. I began eating kimchi at the Korean Olympic spa in LA when I would spend the day there. I fell in love with it. Delicious and good for you!
Love this! I was literally about to get a small bowl of kimchi when I open this article - which is my go to while my lunch slowly heats in the toaster oven. I don't have it every meal, but I do like to have it once a day. I did make it once, and it was good, however I have a local brand I like more so I keep it simple! I do make lacto-fermented carrot and cauliflower a fair bit - also super yum!
I’ve been obsessed with Wildbrine Korean Style Kimchi for the last several months. Spicy and delicious! I try to eat a little before 1-2 meals per day. Sometimes I go through 2 jars by myself in a week. I like that it doesn’t have sugar and fish sauce in it.
My family doesn’t care for kimchi, but does enjoy Wildbrine sauerkraut and Bubbies sauerkraut and raw dill pickles.
I know kimchi and sauerkraut aren’t complicated to make, but I’ve been nervous to try to ferment them on my own without someone doing it with me in person.
My brother just bought me a massive jar of sauerkraut from an Asian market. It has fish sauce, sugar, and msg in it even though it is raw. I haven’t tried it yet, I’m a little bummed about the extra ingredients, but I’ll eat it even if I don’t like the flavor so I get the beneficial bacteria.
Helpful equipment: kraut pounder and sauerkraut crock
Shred cabbage, pound till a little juice flows, then massage salt into cabbage.
Spoon the mixture into the crock, add the weight, top with brine to cover about an inch.
(brine = 2.5 tsp salt dissolved in a quart of water)
I then let it ferment 3-4 weeks, but 2 weeks is probably enough if you like it crunchy.
If you don't have a crock you can use a mason jar with a weight to keep the cabbage submerged, but I had some failures before I got the crock. You can add other seasonings before or after fermenting, but I love it plain.
I imagine that the real trick is eating fermented cruciferous vegetables in general, and there are lots of options there. Kimchi is just one of them. I've been fermenting my own veggies for years. My favorite is a 50-50 mix of red cabbage and white cauliflower. I just cut them up, pack them into a glass jar, place an uncut leaf of the red cabbage on top, fill it to the top with salt water (2 tbsp. of iodine-free salt per quart of water) and stick it in the cupboard for a week or so before moving it to the fridge. I use an old cottage cheese container to capture the overflow as it ferments and refill the jar with more salt water after two or three of days. The end result is a uniform pink color, so uniform that I have to look really close to see whether a particular piece started off as red cabbage or white cauliflower. I don't believe it's really necessary to eat large servings of it. I add about two tablespoons of one of my fermented veggies to my dinner every night. I'm 73 years old, not taking a single Big Pharma product (not so much as a stinking baby aspirin), and in excellent health. I figure that in just a few more years my life will be close to half over. I have every expectation of making it to at least 150.
Along with sauerkraut and horseradish, we eat fermented garlic. A Persian tradition ( Torshi Sir) of covering whole cloves of garlic in red wine vinegar with a dash of salt in 76 ounce glass pickling jar. Let sit for at least a year, in a cool dark location. The garlic should have turned dark brown before eating. We have some vintages that are over 15 years old… only reserved for special dinners.
Wow. That sounds amazing! I've never tried fermented garlic. Is it also possible to purchase it?
Hi Jennifer, lots of recipes on line, we just do the garlic, RWV and a touch of salt. The end product is what is found in garlic supplements like Koyolic (SP?) and Black Garlic. We put a jar up every summer and let it sit. Usually do not eat until about 3 years on, so we are always adding to the supply. I must say people are quite set back when we serve it, but once they taste it, they start jarring up themselves. ❤️
I want to try this! Do you fill the 76 oz jar, then cover it with the RWV? Thank you!
My body says "Yes" to fermented foods including kimchi and sauerkraut for strengthening the microbiome. Better than any pill from Big Pharma!
I agree!
We make fermented foods in México too! Not only kimchi but tomatoes and tomatillos contain lactobacillus and ferment a little more quickly than cabbage. Add garlic and [jalapeños, serranos, habaneros] chiles to taste. Example here:
https://nourishedkitchen.com/salsa-verde-recipe/
Making these at home seems to have skipped a generation, so we are advising our 20-30s ladies to talk to their abuelitas!
Buena salud a tus tripas!
Agreed, everyone needs daily fermented foods. I’ve been making kimchi and sauerkraut for many years now. It really is pretty easy. A good book as a launching point that really explains all the basics on how to ferment pretty much anything is “Wild Fermentation”.
Could you share the recipes you use with us here, Rick?
Sure...here is the sauerkraut. if it isn’t clear enough, please feel free to ask for clarification. I was trying to be brief as I reasonably could.
Two heads of cabbage (I usually use one purple and one green), 2 apples, 2-4 jalapeños (or others, plus it’s optional), 3-4 garlic cloves, Sometimes I also slice carrots to add too.
Coarsely chop the vegetables, finely chop the garlic. Mix them together in smallish amounts into a large bowl (maybe 2 big double hands full) adding a tablespoon of sea salt with each add. Mix the salt in well.
Once you have it all mixed and salted…I use a 2 gallon crock, but you can use wide mouth Mason jars too…TIGHTLY pack the mix into the crock, adding small amounts and packing down with your fist. You want to get as many air pockets out as you can.
Once it’s all packed, you’ll need a cover. I have a plate that is about the perfect size to fit in my crock. I place the plate in upside down, and then weight it down on the mixture with an old vinegar jug filled with water. Cover it all with a towel to keep dust or whatever out. Press down on the plate/jug several times the first day to keep packing. After a couple of hours you should start hearing the juices come out of the cabbage and squish around when you press. If it doesn’t you can add a little brine (1 tbsp sea salt in one cup water).
I usually ferment for only 5-7 days as loving in Texas our house stays pretty warm. In colder areas it can take longer to get to the “sourness” that you prefer. I put it into wide mouth jars, again packing it in tight, and into the fridge.
The US ranking 39th? Look no further than our population being on a life long diet of big pharma drugs.
Yes. And we also pollute the heck out of the environment (much more so than they do in Europe), which leads to contaminated food and water -- sadly, even food that is supposedly organic (bees don't know about property lines)...
Yes. This food will save your life and sanity. I’ve gone back and forth between a lousy diet (eating out because I’m very busy with my job working long hours,) and re-establishing my fermented foods. It is night and day for me in terms of my mood, bodily inflammation which affects other aspects of my life like sleep. It is true that your gut/microbiome is like a 2nd brain. They are intimately connected. I believe depression along with a host of neuro psychiatric conditions could be healed cutting out processed food and sugar. Sorry beginning to preach...FERMENTED FOODS = LIFE AND LONGEVITY!
Ok, now I’m inspired. Thank you for the nudge to ferment !
I’ve known about the health benefits of fermented foods for quite a while now, problem is I just don’t like most of them (kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles). Any other suggestions for tasty fermented foods? I do like pickled ginger! ( not sure that counts as fermented)
I intend to try this recipe- have tried others and consume a bit daily. I've done this for years now. I like the sound of your recipe. Thanks!
Yes i have organic kimchi in my fridge. I love fermented foods like all sauerkrauts, fermented onions and other veggies and have for a good long time. I began eating kimchi at the Korean Olympic spa in LA when I would spend the day there. I fell in love with it. Delicious and good for you!
Is there a brand you like best, Stephanie, or do you make it yourself?
Yes.And you need to check from time to time as the RWV gets absorbed by the garlic, you need to top it off. Enjoy!
Love this! I was literally about to get a small bowl of kimchi when I open this article - which is my go to while my lunch slowly heats in the toaster oven. I don't have it every meal, but I do like to have it once a day. I did make it once, and it was good, however I have a local brand I like more so I keep it simple! I do make lacto-fermented carrot and cauliflower a fair bit - also super yum!
I’ve been obsessed with Wildbrine Korean Style Kimchi for the last several months. Spicy and delicious! I try to eat a little before 1-2 meals per day. Sometimes I go through 2 jars by myself in a week. I like that it doesn’t have sugar and fish sauce in it.
My family doesn’t care for kimchi, but does enjoy Wildbrine sauerkraut and Bubbies sauerkraut and raw dill pickles.
I know kimchi and sauerkraut aren’t complicated to make, but I’ve been nervous to try to ferment them on my own without someone doing it with me in person.
My brother just bought me a massive jar of sauerkraut from an Asian market. It has fish sauce, sugar, and msg in it even though it is raw. I haven’t tried it yet, I’m a little bummed about the extra ingredients, but I’ll eat it even if I don’t like the flavor so I get the beneficial bacteria.
I love sauerkraut / red cabbage ( German) so I’m game to try Kimchi 😀 Glad you put this out with the recipe.
I eat homemade sauerkraut every day with dinner. It's not as complicated to make as kimchi, but takes longer to ferment.
Could you share the recipe you use to make it with us here, Liz?
It's just cabbage + sea salt + time!
1.5 tsp sea salt per 2 lb organic cabbage
Helpful equipment: kraut pounder and sauerkraut crock
Shred cabbage, pound till a little juice flows, then massage salt into cabbage.
Spoon the mixture into the crock, add the weight, top with brine to cover about an inch.
(brine = 2.5 tsp salt dissolved in a quart of water)
I then let it ferment 3-4 weeks, but 2 weeks is probably enough if you like it crunchy.
If you don't have a crock you can use a mason jar with a weight to keep the cabbage submerged, but I had some failures before I got the crock. You can add other seasonings before or after fermenting, but I love it plain.