Carrot and Arame Kraut

I first want to say what a fan I am of Russell James. This recipe comes from him with a few tweaks.

Arame is a member of the kelp family, it is a sea vegetables like wakame and kombu. Arame has a mild flavor that is sweet with a crisp texture. In Japan, arame is valued for its mineral content and traditional medicinal qualities; it is a good source of calcium and has substancial iron content.

8-10 home grown carrots – if you don’t grow them then get them from a local organically grown source. The flavor will really pop! Peel them and chop or slice as you prefer. I have even done them whole before and love that.

• ¼ cup arame
• 2-3 teaspoons of Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper chili flakes

Ginger peeled and sliced or grated I like to use a piece about the size of the first knuckle of my thumb.

Probiotic powder, water keifer, or nothing… you do not have to use a starter culture.

Wash and peel the carrots and put them in a bowl. (Slice first if you are slicing them). If you are slicing them then you can put them in a bowl and massage them with the salt until they start to release their juices.

If you are doing them whole then pack them into your jars and create a brine with the salt using about 3 cups of water.

Add the remaining ingredients to combine

Pack into the jar.

Pour the salt brine over the top to cover the carrots or if not doing whole carrots then make sure they are packed down so that the natural juices are covering the carrots.

After the first 24 hours, you will want to burp the ferment (remove the lid for a moment). You should start to see some bubbles and it will begin to develop a mild, sour but nice smell (like a light version of sauerkraut).

Once you smell the signs and can see evidence that the carrots are actively fermenting, transfer the jars to the door of your refrigerator. We choose the door because it is the warmest part of the fridge but its still cooler than room temperature—perfect to keep them slowly fermenting.

The fermented carrots are ready to eat about 1 or 2 weeks after you make them. You can eat them straight out of the jar as a pickle, or use them in recipes.

Tips

Use filtered water because the chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can interfere with the fermentation process. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe; but make sure they are very clean. If you start out with the jar on its side it is easier to keep the carrots nice and straight. The vegetables shrink as they ferment, so pack them in tightly. This ensures that they stay immersed covered by the brine and don’t float up out of it. Move the jars to a cooler part of your refrigerator (one of the central shelves rather than the inside of the refrigerator door) if your planning on storing them more than a month. Don’t can your carrots… if your feel tempted to preserve the fermented carrots, remember the process of canning will kill all of the healthy probiotics, which defeats the purpose of fermenting.

Variations

Add in onion or garlic, fresh or dried dill, bay leaves, or other herbs to the jar as you pack in the carrot pieces. If you like it spicy then try adding a couple of small hot chili peppers to the jar. Use white, purple, and orange carrots for a colorful and beautiful presentation. If salt isn't an option for you, you can research lacto-fermentation without salt.