Food production is a huge factor in a sustainable lifestyle and a central element of daily existence in our ecovillage.
Food is free; it comes right up out of the dirt at no charge, and there's more than enough of everything (addictions and cravings, however, lead some to believe otherwise). We live a life of intimate communion with plants and the nourishment they provide us, and we honor this relationship every single day.
We grow and receive donations of more food than we can consume in our ecovillage, but nothing goes to waste. We share generously with our extended community through outreach and work exchange programs, compost prolifically, and preserve food for ourselves and as offerings through our Über Dank Pantry.
Food preservation is something of a lost art, but we still make wine, vinegar, jams, jellies, sauces, preserves, pickles, and fermented foods, and it is our pleasure to share our methods!
Today, we have an abundance of cabbage, so we're going to make a batch of one of our favorite ferments:
KIMCHI!
Fermented food is excellent for the humanimal because it helps balance the gut flora. Digestive health is elemental to mental, emotional, and physical health, as a significant portion of neurotransmitters and immune system cells are actually created in the intestines. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, jun, and yogurt are great sources of probiotics, enzymes, and vitamins!
Fermentation is an interesting process where bacteria convert starch and sugar in foods to lactic acid; it's kinda like pre-digestion in that it partially breaks down the food and makes it easier for the body to assimilate. Fermentation is easy, economical, and greatly enhances health!
Kimchi is a Korean preparation that is consumed with every meal. Traditionally, it is made with cabbage and can be super simple with just salt. Our process is fully customizable to your favorite vegetables and spices:
We make giant batches because the longer it sits, the better it tastes. Plus, our entire community loves kimchi! We frequently use turnips, jicama, or radishes, depending on what vegetables we have on hand.
Shredding the cabbage makes a nice, bite sized final product, but you can use whole leaves if you prefer.
These are some of the beautiful carrots from our garden to throw in the mix!
Process:
- Prepare cabbage and soak in salt brine ( = water with enough salt to taste like ocean water) for at least one hour, massaging every now and again. You can soak overnight if you wish.
- Drain brine.
- Slice, chop, or shred remaining veggies and mix with soaked cabbage.
- Prepare sauce of soy sauce, curry powder, garlic cloves, and ginger. You can add spicy pepper at this stage if you like the heat (we keep a mild batch for the children and a spicier version for adults). Note that garlic can add a bit of spice too.
- Pour sauce over veggies and allow to soak for 3 days in a breathable container in a cool, dark place. We use a large crock covered in cheese cloth, then transfer the kimchi to mason jars to store in the fridge. If you ferment in jars, you need to open the lid after a day or so to let the gases out. This isn't a hard set formula; you can allow it to ferment longer if you like.
- Kimchi gets stinky - be warned when opening it in an enclosed area.
We hope you are inspired to experiment with fermentations of some of your favorite veggies for a delicious way to keep your guts healthy!
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