Fermenting foods at home doesn’t have to be complicated or require a bunch of fancy equipment—these two recipes are proof.
The Green Ginger Kimchi has some spicy ginger, garlic, and chili flakes along with crunchy green cabbage, carrots, and radishes. The Purple Beet Sauerkraut is a simpler mix of purple cabbage, beets, and caraway seeds for extra warmth.
Foods like these are part of traditional diets around the world for good reason. Fermenting not only preserves fresh food like cabbage for a longer period of time, but it also creates probiotics that benefit the microbiome, which we now know impacts whole-body health. You also get essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients from using whole vegetables, herbs, and spices.
I hope you’ll experiment in your own kitchen and discover that you love fermenting as much as I do!
Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD
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Ingredients:
Green Ginger Kimchi
- ½ large green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 5 radishes
- 1-inch ginger root
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 3 lemon rind slices
- 1 tablespoon gochujang chili flakes (Korean chili flakes) or red pepper flakes
Purple Beet Sauerkraut
- ½ large purple or green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 3 lemon rind slices
- 1 cup beets cut into matchsticks
- ½ tablespoon caraway seeds
Method:
Green Ginger Kimchi
1. Remove 2 outer leaves from the cabbage, cut the cabbage in half, then remove the core but save it for later. Thinly slice half of the cabbage.
2. Place the thinly sliced cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle with the sea salt. Massage the cabbage using your hands, until it has released its juices. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. Thinly slice the carrot, radishes, and ginger. Crush the garlic cloves.
4. Toss all of the ingredients together in the cabbage bowl, then allow it to rest and marinate for 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes, transfer the cabbage mixture to a 32-ounce jar in batches, making sure to press and pack it down well along the way.
6. Pour all juices that remain in the bowl into the jar then place the outer cabbage leaves on top of the kimchi followed by the saved core. Put the lid on and close, then place the jar on top of a kitchen towel, or plate, to catch any leaking during the fermentation process.
7. Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temp for 7-14 days, opening the lid daily to release gas. After fermentation is complete, store in the fridge for up to 4 months.
Nutritional analysis (per ½ cup, 8 servings per jar) Calories: 28, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 899mg, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 3g, Protein: 1g, Net Carbs: 4g
Purple Beet Sauerkraut
1. Remove 2 outer leaves from the cabbage, cut the cabbage in half, then remove the core but save it for later. Thinly slice half of the cabbage.
2. Place the thinly sliced cabbage into a large bowl, sprinkle with the sea salt and caraway seeds. Massage the cabbage using your hands, until it has released its juices. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. Once you have prepared the remaining ingredients, add everything into the cabbage bowl and massage together, then allow it to rest and marinate for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, transfer the cabbage mixture to a 32-ounce jar in batches, making sure to press and pack it down well along the way.
5. Pour all juices that remain in the bowl into the jar then place the outer cabbage leaves on top of the kimchi followed by the saved core. Put the lid on and close then place the jar on top of a kitchen towel, or plate, to catch any leaking during the fermentation process.
7. Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temp for 7-14 days, opening the lid daily to release gas. After fermentation is complete, store in the fridge for up to 4 months.
Nutritional analysis (per serving, based on - servings) Calories: 27, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 904mg, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 1g, Net Carbs: 4g