Today let me share my experience of making my own sauerkraut for the first time. Yes, you heard it right. It is another first time experience to me since I haven't been heard or taste sauerkraut ever. This is new to me and here in the Philippines the only thing I knew about fermented vegetable would be pickles, which I often see in mayonnaise.
So what is a Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut basically a fermented cabbage. Fermentation allows to mature any food overtime. They describe it's taste to be souryand tangy (sharp, acidic flavor like in vinegar and lemon)
It's been proven by many research and studies that it contains a lot of benefits for our body especially when talking about our gut. Simply because it is a fermented type of food knows to have lactic acid which is a good bacteria that our gut needed to absorbs and digest food. It also boost your immune system and helps reduce constipation but remember that not everyone was used to consume fermented food like this.
For first time eater like me, I may have experience digestive discomfort like bloatedness and gas but I think if I get used into eating fermented food like this, it will eventually goes away and my gut will adopt into it. Nowadays I've been so obsessed of food that will help to aide my digestion. It is natural so I don't give a second thought and give it a try.
I just prepare the following:
1 small size cabbage
salt
large bowl
empty jar with lid
tape and pen
Here's how:
- I cut the cabbage into half and just use the other part for a trial. (Once I get it right I will make a bigger size.)
- Cut the middle part and slice it into thin strips. The thinner the better.
- Now put in a wide or large bowl and add salt. (I don't have measurement for this since I don't follow any recipe online as my guide. I trusted my instinct)
- Give a toss and mix the cabbage with salt. Later cabbage will lose it's moisture and will starts to release it own juice.
- Massage it until you'll get more juice from cabbage. Your hand may feel if the cabbage are well extracted then stop. You may also use cheese cloth.
- On your chosen vessel glass jar, gently put cabbage inside reserving the juice. Press down the shreded cabbage and pour the juice into it.
- Get a food friendly clear plastic bag and put some water into it. This will serve to push the cabbage and be submerge into it's own juice.
- I put date and label it into the lid. Keep in a cool, dry and dark place and allow to mature and ferment for atleast 2 weeks. 3 days was the shorter test that I see.
Taste Test:
I opened the bottle just yesterday but unfortunately I wasn't able to share what it looks like after more than a week. I tasted it for the first time.
Upon opening that jar I immediately smell a slight soury smell. The cabbage remains it's crunchness when uncooked. The taste would be like lemony with a hint of tangy flavor. To be honest I wasn't sure if my stomach can tolerate this kind of food. This is my first time to eat this and definetly not my last.
I've also learned that sauerkraut have many option when it comes to different recipes. Most of them uses kielbasa but I don't have that kind of sausage and I don't like a store brought or canned sausage so I made a simple dish at home. I used it on my Pancit Bihon Guisado. Sadly I don't have any picture because this phone was with my fiance yesterday.
Pancit bihon got many ingredients like carrots, cabbage, beans, chicken/pork/liver, soysauce, salt and pepper, garlic and onion.
After few hours, I feel something inside my stomach. It's like my tummy reacts a little bit for eating fermented vegetable like this. At the back of my mind, I am excited and nervous how's my body would react into it. Then at night, I have a very good bowel movement. I went 3x in the toilet and that's what I've been longing for. I am not constipated for these past few weeks and I will not ignore the fact that I will try to make another batch of sauerkraut this week.
Thank you so much for supporting me in your own little way. Keep safe and see yah! :)