It's a great source of fibre and friendly bacteria and makes a tasty jacket potato topping. All you need is a cabbage, some salt and a jar
Simply fermented veggies, sauerkraut is a bit like a tart coleslaw and is such a great way to get raw vegetables into our diet. Not only is the fibre good for bowel health but the fermentation means that all those good bugs will help support the growth of more. All you need is one tablespoon a day as a topping or side dish. It adds a sharpness to salads and goes really well with a hot buttered potato – yum!
11 calories (per 25g) V, GF, DF
Makes about ½ litre
Prep: 20 minutes, plus fermenting time (3-16 days)
Ingredients
1 white cabbage, or similar, about 650g, finely shredded
1 tbsp sea salt
Equipment: a 1½-litre sterilised sealable jar
Method
Step 1
Put the cabbage in a large glass or ceramic bowl, add the salt and massage it all together with your hands.
Step 2
Now pound the cabbage – a good thing to use for this is the pestle from a pestle and mortar or the round end of rolling pin.
Squash and pound it for about 5 -10 minutes until plenty of water is released.
Step 3
Spoon the cabbage, a little at a time, into the sterilised jar, squashing it down as you go, using the pestle or rolling pin and making sure it’s tightly packed.
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Step 4
Make sure the cabbage is fully immersed under the water – it needs this to ferment properly.
Secure the lid and leave for 3 -16 days in the kitchen, or longer if you like a stronger flavour.
The process will be slower if you prefer it to ferment in your fridge.
To make Red Cabbage and Fennel Seed Sauerkraut (33 calories V, GF, DF) take 2kg red cabbage, finely shredded, 1 tbsp sea salt, 1 tsp fennel seeds or caraway seeds and make this the same as you would the white cabbage sauerkraut.
Taken from The Good Gut Guide by Liz Earle. Orion Spring RRP £25. To buy the book (currently £17) click here .