IN THE KITCHEN
How to make sauerkraut (it’s easy!)
Y
ou can boil it, you can
fry it and you can eat it
raw as coleslaw but
one of the most delicious
ways of preparing the humble
cabbage is to turn it into the
German delicacy, sauerkraut.
And, once you've tasted
home-made sauerkraut there
is no way you'll want to eat
the slimy sour stuff one buys
in a tin.
Plus, turning you cabbage
into sauerkraut is one way of
preserving an otherwise
unwieldy quantity of
vegetable for use over a
period of time, which is a
godsend if you grow a big
head of cabbage.
Even though it might on first
tasting appear to be pickled,
it should be noted that
sauerkraut, correctly made, is
fermented cabbage, not
pickled.
And to make it is simplicity
itself.
Cut a large head of cabbage
in half after having discarded
the dirty outer leaves.
Shred it finely into a large
mixing bowl. Add half a table
spoon of salt. Don't be
tempted to add more or the
final product will be too salty.
Using your fingers and hands,
scrunch up the cabbage and
salt repeatedly for a good five
minutes. As you work you
will observe a surprising
amount of cabbage juice in
the bottom of the bowl.
Keep scrunching till the
cabbage appears wilted, and
has reduced in volume.
Do the same with the other
half.
Mix both halves together,
scrunching a bit more to do
so.
Continued on page 45
Left: Scrunch up finely shredded raw cabbage till in turns limp and golden. Right: Cabbage releases a surprising amount of moisture.
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