I've just posted a new recipe on my blog for this delicious Bright Beetroot & Red Cabbage Kraut. This experiment turned out pretty well for a newbie home fermenter. This easy-to-make sauerkraut is filled with probiotic bacteria and prebiotic fibre, which are both amazing for your gut. Gut health is a topic that has taken the world by storm in recent years, and although it is still gaining traction it is set to be a growing food trend in 2018.

Believe it or not, not all bacteria are bad. In fact, some are really good for us. Our bodies are home to 100 trillion bacteria, most of which live in our gut. Of course, there are the ‘bad guys’ that cause illness and infection, which we aim to kill off using antibiotics, but there are also many ‘good guys’, which form part of the microbiome in our gut that plays a major role in keeping us healthy. The trillions of microorganisms that call our bodies home play a significant role in the proper functioning of our digestive tract, immune system, skin, and a number of other body systems, so it's important to make sure that we keep them in balance to help us be as healthy as possible!

Recipe

Makes 1 large jar

Ingredients

For the kraut
1 1/2 large red cabbages
2 medium beetroots
Sea salt
Carraway seeds

Method

1. Before starting, wash your hands well. Make sure that your chopping board, knife, and other equipment are sterile.
   Next, sterilise your jar. Heat your oven to 140˚C. Wash and rinse the jar, remove the rubber seal, and place the jar in the heated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the jar from the oven when complete and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, peel off the outer leaves of the cabbages and chop off the bases. Keep the bases for later. Use a sharp knife to halve the cabbage and chop it finely. Peel and grate the beetroot. Place the cabbage and beetroot in a large, clean mixing bowl (it's a good idea to weigh the veg at this point).
3. For every 1kg beetroot and cabbage, add 20g sea salt to the bowl (i.e. for 1.5kg beetroot and cabbage, add 30g salt). Add 1-2 tsp caraway seeds to the mix and start to scrunch and 'massage' everything together for 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage beetroot mixture is dripping in its own moisture.
4. Time to pack the jar. After allowing the jar to cool down completely, tightly pack the cabbage and beetroot mix into the jar. Press out any pockets of air. Fill the jar right up to the neck, and pour over any extra liquid so that the veggies are completely covered with liquid.
5. Wash and trim the base of one of the cabbages so that it fits within the neck of the jar to compress the cabbage when the jar is closed.
6. Leave your sauerkraut to ferment at room temperature, OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT, for 7-14 days (depending on your preference). One important note is to 'burp' your jar each day (possibly even more than once a day) to release any built-up carbon dioxide. Do this in the sink so as not to spill purple liquid everywhere.
7. When your kraut is ready, remove the cabbage base and store in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Original post can be found on my blog Taste & See

Other relevant posts that I've written on gut health:

- Gut Health – A basic guide

- Gut Health — the new kid on the block

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