Kefirkraut Food

KEFIRKRAUT

Steps:

• Pick the optional ingredients of choice and grind in a mortar and pestle of blender or food processor. Toss cabbage, and the optional ingredients and salt together in a large non reactive pot or bowl and begin to squeeze the cabbage and salt together with your hands, kneading it thoroughly to break up the cellular structure of the shredded cabbage.
• When the cabbage has become limp and released its juice, transfer it to a crock or or a large glass vessel. Place 1/2 the grains on the bottom.
• Pack the cabbage mixture into the crock as tightly as you can, eliminating air bubbles. Continue packing the cabbage into the container until it is completely submerged by liquid. Then evenly place the remaining kefir grains over the surface of the compressed ingredients. Placing a weight on it helps keep it submerged.
• Be sure the ingredients are submerged by 1 inch of liquid be it organic apple, carrot, cabbage juice or filtered spring water. Cover loosely and allow it to sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for at least 4-5 days testing the Kefirkraut every few days until it is done to your liking up to 10-11 days. Transfer to the refrigerator or other cold storage where it should keep for at least six months.
• On day 3, check the surface of the liquid for signs of scum seen as froth, foam or possibly kahm yeast and remove this by skimming with a spoon. However, in most cases kahm yeast should not form when Kefir grains are used as a starter-enhancer, for the expedient fermentation does not allow such yeasts to form.
• Optional starter:.
• Kefir grains may be blended with water or fresh fruit/veggie juice and mixing the mash or emulsion with the pounded ingredients, then filling the brewing container with the fresh ingredients.
• Or, a few kefir grains may be pounded together with amounts of fresh veggies, and filling the brewing vessel as you go. Any of these methods produce a superior kefirkraut in little time.
• Fermentation Time:.
• As a general guide, kefirkraut with 1/2% salt is fermented for 7 to 11 days during winter and 7 days during summer and then the kefirkraut must be refrigerated to mature under cold storage. Although the young kefirkraut may be consumed right away, flavour of 1/2% kefirkraut improves after one week of cold storage. Do sample a small portion of immature kefirkraut before refrigeration. Dom and I prefers the flavour after 1 or 2 weeks. Yes, ripening under cold storage definitely improves flavour, similar to a well aged good wine or room temperature ripened kefir.
• There is an increase in some of the B group of vitamins during cold storage. That`s a good thing. ;).

HOW TO MAKE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash a large tub or bowl (we used on the size of a small washing-up bowl), then rinse with boiling water from the kettle. Make sure that your hands, and everything else coming into contact with the cabbage, are very clean. It's wise to use a container that will comfortably fit the softened cabbage, allowing several inches of room at the top to avoid overflow.
• Shred the cabbage thinly - a food processor makes light work of this. Layer the cabbage and the salt in the tub or bowl. Massage the salt into the cabbage for 5 mins, wait 5 mins, then repeat. You should end up with a much-reduced volume of cabbage sitting in its own brine. Mix in the caraway seeds and the peppercorns.
• Cover the surface of the cabbage entirely with a sheet of cling film, then press out all the air bubbles from below. Weigh the cabbage down using a couple of heavy plates, or other weights that fit your bowl, and cover as much of the cabbage as possible. The level of the brine will rise to cover the cabbage a little. Cover the tub and leave in a dark place at a cool room temperature (about 18-20C) for at least five days. It will be ready to eat after five days, but for maximum flavour leave the cabbage to ferment for anywhere between 2-6 weeks (or until the bubbling subsides).
• Check the cabbage every day or so, releasing any gases that have built up as it ferments, giving it a stir to release the bubbles. If any scum forms, remove it, rinse the weights in boiling water and replace the cling film. You should see bubbles appearing within the cabbage, and possibly some foam on the top of the brine. It's important to keep it at an even, cool room temperature - too cool and the ferment will take longer than you'd like, too warm and the sauerkraut may become mouldy or ferment too quickly, leading to a less than perfect result.
• The cabbage will become increasingly sour the longer it's fermented, so taste it now and again. When you like the flavour, transfer it to smaller sterilised jars. Will keep in the fridge for up to six months.