Fermented cabbage is a traditional food made by encouraging the growth of lactic acid bacteria. It can be made by soaking cabbage in liquid and leaving it in a cool place for a week to several months. The process requires the cabbage to stay submerged in liquid and away from oxygen and heat. It is a common dish in Europe and Asia, with variations such as sauerkraut and kimchi.
Fermented cabbage is a food that has been eaten for thousands of years. The fermentation process of cabbage allows it to be eaten safely long after fresh cabbage would have spoiled. It is made by encouraging the growth of certain types of bacteria, known as lactic acid bacteria, which are used to preserve many different types of foods as they eat lactose and excrete lactic acid. All you need to make fermented cabbage is salt or water, a container, and the cabbage itself.
Making fermented cabbage is a simple process and there are many different variations. The cabbage simply needs to be soaked in liquid and then left in a cool place for anywhere from a week to a number of months while the bacteria ferment it. There is no need to add lactic acid bacteria to cabbage because this type of bacteria can be found naturally in the vegetable.
The fermentation process requires a number of different conditions to turn raw cabbage into an edible fermented food. First, the cabbage needs to stay submerged in the liquid so it isn’t exposed to oxygen. The presence of oxygen during the fermentation process will cause the cabbage that is exposed to air to mold and while some types of mold are edible, there are a few that can cause fermented cabbage to malfunction. Water, broth, or another liquid may be used to cover the whole or roughly chopped cabbage, or the cabbage may be finely chopped and heavily salted so that the water can be drawn out of the cabbage itself.
Once the cabbage and liquid or cabbage and salt are combined, the mixture must be kept away from oxygen and heat as it ferments. This can be accomplished by placing the mixture in an airtight container or by ensuring the cabbage is held below the surface of the liquid, weighing it down. Historically, the containers used to make fermented cabbage were buried underground to keep it at a constant, cool temperature. In modern times refrigeration is often used to ferment cabbage at a cool, but not cold, temperature.
A common dish in both Europe and Asia, fermented cabbage is one of the oldest dishes. Some of the more common types of this dish include German sauerkraut and Korean kimchi. There are many variations and a variety of vegetables, herbs and spices can also be added to the cabbage while it is fermenting.
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