Sauerkraut is one of the dishes that, with proper preparation, preserves vitamins and beneficial properties for up to 9 months. Let's talk about how to ferment cabbage at home.
In winter and spring, a person is deficient in fortified foods, therefore, even in the days of Ancient Russia, people came up with recipes for tasty and healthy food that does not lose useful properties. Today, sauerkraut is rarely made in whole barrels, and to roll a vegetable in cans is another matter.
Useful tips before cooking
Before cooking, consider helpful tips to help you cook. sauerkraut right and tasty at home.
- For cooking, choose the latest cabbage - such varieties have stronger and thicker leaves. They are better stored, more beautiful after cooking, kind of crunch.
- Sauerkraut can also be in large pieces. The main thing is to remove the stump, and then you can cut into two, four or more parts. With this method, surely take tight heads of cabbage.
- Sterility. Dishes and devices with which the dish is prepared must be sterile. The principle of cooking is fermentation. If bacteria enter the tank during the process, the product will deteriorate.
- Do not be afraid to experiment. Many housewives add various vegetables and spices for taste: bay leaves, cranberries, beets and much more.
Calorie content
Cabbage is not a high-calorie product, but sugar and salt are added during cooking, which is misleading to many weight-watchers.
Speaking about the composition of the dish, the bulk are carbohydrates. However, although most diets minimize carbohydrate intake, nutritionists do not blacklist sauerkraut. There are two reasons for this:
- A third of the composition is proteins, which is an excellent indicator for the product.
- Utility. The dish has a whole complex of vitamins, which more than covers all carbohydrates.
At any diet or with simple proper nutrition, there is such an appetizer possible and even necessary.
Fermented cabbage - a recipe for the winter in jars
The recipe in banks is one of the simplest and most popular for the winter.
- cabbage 2 kg
- carrot 200 g
- salt 2 Art. l
- Finely chop the carrots into strips (do not rub on a grater). Chop the cabbage and rub it with salt without much effort.
- Then add chopped carrots. Mix everything so that the carrots are evenly distributed over the entire volume of cabbage.
- Lay the ingredients in a jar in layers and tamp tightly. It is better to fill the cans not completely, but leave 5-7 centimeters from the top.
- If everything is done correctly, the top of the cabbage should be moist and secrete juice.
- Cover with gauze and leave at room temperature to wander for a day.
- A day later, on top of the cabbage, you will see the liquid that formed during fermentation. Take a long, thin wooden stick and pierce it several times throughout the depth so that the gases escape. Perform a similar procedure for three days.
- On the second or third day, you can try a snack. If it is already quite acidic, cover and send to the refrigerator or basement. If still not acidic, leave warm for 4 and 5 days.
- Store after cooking exclusively in the cold.
Instant sauerkraut
Consider the popular way to cook crispy sauerkraut for the lazy, or people who don't want or can't wait. In this case, the marinade comes to the rescue.
- Cabbage - 2 kg.
- Carrots - 150-200 grams.
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons of salt.
Ingredients for Marinade:
- 250 ml of water;
- 0.5 tbsp. tablespoons of sunflower oil;
- 0.5 tbsp. tablespoons of vinegar;
- 100 grams of sugar;
- 3-4 pcs. bay leaf;
- Black pepper (peas) to taste.
How to cook:
- Cut cabbage and carrots, grind with salt.
- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and bring to a boil.
- Fill cans or another container with cabbage (you should not tamper strongly, just add a little).
- Pour the hot marinade into the chopped vegetables.
- Ram or place a suitable load on top.
- After cooling, send to the refrigerator for a day.
When to ferment cabbage according to the lunar calendar
Not everyone believes in signs, horoscopes and calendars. However, as experience shows, the lunar calendar can play a cruel joke in a particular business.
The best time to cook cabbage according to the lunar calendar is the growing moon. It is not recommended to ferment according to the standard recipe for the waning moon. Astrologers forbid sour cabbage on the new moon.
Benefits and harm to the body
Like any product, sauerkraut has positive and negative sides.
Beneficial features:
- A sufficient amount of protein.
- Contains Vitamin C, P, PP Group B.
- Low calorie content.
- It can be consumed by people with diabetes.
- Rejuvenates the skin. There are even sauerkraut masks.
- Reduces the risk of cancer.
Harm to the body:
It is difficult to talk about the dangers of a dish, because it does not contain any serious or harmful components. However, cabbage can be acidic, which can harm people with digestive problems (for example, with a stomach ulcer). It is not recommended to eat a snack due to the high salt content and people who have problems with kidney function.
Sauerkraut has been on tables in almost every home for decades, due to its ease of preparation, taste and health. It is worth noting that there are dozens of ways to ferment cabbage at home and this is not the limit. Bon Appetit!
