Fermenting For Fussy Eaters

Make something yummy they can't resist

Some people are hesitant to try fermented foods, but you can entice them with this simple ferment - they are usually surprised when they find they enjoy the flavours. It's also a healthy snack for children.

Start by cutting carrots into batton strips - the size that you would use for dipping into a dip or salsa, it's up to you. If you peeled the carrots first, save some of the scraps to put in the jar, since that's where most of the good micro-organisms live.

You need to make some flavour additions, such as garlic (whole or chopped), ginger, turmeric, or any of your favourite herbs and spices. Some nice combinations are:

• Garlic, ginger and mint

• Dill and fennel

• Lemon rind and olives

Next, weigh the vegetables you will be putting in the jar so you can work out how much salt you need to add. Make sure to use salt with no additives such as iodine or anti-caking agents. A commonly used ratio is a 2% salt ferment. Divide the weight of the carrots and herbs by 100, then multiply the answer by 2 - that is the weight of salt you need to add to the carrots.

For example :

800g of vegetables divided by 100 = 8

therefore 8 x 2 = 16. That means 16g of salt needs to be added to 800g of carrots

Put some of the saved peel scraps into the jar. Then sprinkle the amount of salt you calculated above onto the carrot sticks, and then pack the carrots into the jar. The reason you need to add salt to the carrots at this stage is because once they are in the jar, water will come out of the carrots and dilute the brine.

Next you need to make the brine. This is done by weighing the amount of water you need to fill the spaces in-between the carrots (chorine free water). To turn the water into a 2% brine, follow the same steps as before. Divide the weight of the water by 100 then multiply by 2. The answer you get will give you the number of grams of salt that is added to the water. Dissolve the salt in the water, then pour into the jar, making sure the brine completely covers the carrots.

Place a weight on the carrots to keep them submerged, cover with a lid with an air-lock, or if you don't have one, use a plain lid and burp at least once a day to release the build up of gas pressure made by the lacto-fermentation.

Keep at room temperature, out of direct sunlight for 4 to 5 days, at this stage the pH should have dropped to below 4, this is due to the lactic acid that is produced. You can check this using some indicator paper or smell it, if it smells a little like vinegar it is ready to eat. You can give it a taste, if you need it to be more acidic, just leave to for a few more days - the longer you leave them to ferment, the softer and more sour they will become. When you are happy with the flavour place it in the fridge, where the fermentation will slow right down, with no need for an airlock any more.

The carrots will have a sweet vinegar taste enhanced by the aromatics of the added ingredients. They are great for using to dip into a dip, especially a home made strained yoghurt labneh or a fresh herb salsa. The carrots can be chopped further and put in a salad to add some extra zing.

Next time, try replacing the carrots with beetroot, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, all so delicious.

Jumeokbap with Homemade
Fermented Vegetables

Jumeokbap are Korean rice balls that can be made with fermented vegetables such as carrots, radish, cabbage, zucchini or kimchi. They make a great introduction to eating fermented food, and a way to use up leftovers, to make a simple on the go snack or lunch.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked short-grain rice, cooled to room temperature

• 1/2 cup fermented vegetables, or kimchi, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (optional)

• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 2 sheets nori (seaweed), cut into thin strips

  Making the Jumeokbap:

  1. In a large bowl, mix the cooled rice with sesame oil and salt.

  2. Add the chopped fermented vegetables and mix gently.

  3. Sprinkle in the roasted sesame seeds and mix.

  4. Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking.

  5. Take about 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and roll into a ball with your hands

  6. Roll the rice ball in the nori strips, pressing gently to help them adhere.

  7. Repeat with the remaining rice mixture and filling.

• Serve the jumeokbap straight away, or refrigerate for later consumption. They can be eaten at room temperature or slightly warmed.

  Storage

• Store any leftover jumeokbap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  

• Notes

• The fermentation process can be adjusted based on personal preference. A shorter ferment ( 5-7 days) will make vegetables that are still firm with some sweetness. A longer ferment ( several weeks) will develop a softer vegetable with a more developed tangier taste.
  

• Feel free to experiment with putting the vegetables in the centre of the rice balls, or add other fillings in the centre. Fillings you could try include corn, chopped egg, tuna, chicken or salmon.

• When adding a filling, be careful not to overfill, as this can make the rice balls difficult to shape and may split
  

• If you don't like seaweed you. could roll them in sesame seeds or chopped herbs.

Experiment and make them your own