1 Pint Jar, lid and ring, Additional, used for making brine
6x6 Fabric Pieces
1 Glass Pebble
Water, well, spring, reverse osmosis preferred – if using city water, let water sit in quart jar overnight
Labels
Ingredients
450g(1 lb)carrots,whole
4stalkscelery
1lime
1/2red onion
2wholegarlic cloves
1tspginger,fresh
4tspfine sea salt
Instructions
Make brine first by adding 4 tsp of fine sea salt into pint jar of cool water (not warm, not cold). Cover and shake vigorously. Set aside and shake a few more times during this process to help the salt dissolve.
Carrots can be scrubbed or peeled. Celery needs to be rinsed. Cut carrots and celery into lengths that stay an inch below the ring of the quart jar. Carrots will ferment best if they are cut into 8ths lengthwise. Celery can be sliced a little thicker. This allows them to be thin enough to ferment, yet sturdy enough to hold and eat.
Peel and chop fresh ginger. Too small of pieces will float to the top of the brine, which contributes to mold, so a rough chop or dice is good.
Peel and roughly chop garlic.
Peel and slice the red onion into rings.
Cut into the lime peel and pull away large pieces. Slice the peel into long thin strips. Add in ¼ or all of the lime peel strips.
Place the garlic, ginger, onion and lime peel in the bottom of the quart jar. Reserving a few large onion rings for the top of the carrots and celery.
Stack the carrots and celery in the jar lengthwise, tightly! Add the reserved red onion rings on top.
Shake brine again and pour onto the carrots and celery.
Add glass pebble, cover with fabric, and screw on lid. If you don't have a glass pebble, a ziploc bag filledwith water can be used, or a small jelly jar or other jar. These are used as weights to keep the carrots below the brine line.
Add a label with the date and ingredients.
Set on counter or in cool space with temps between 60-70˚F (15-21˚C) for 1-2 weeks. Start checking on carrots day 3.
If Kahm yeast develops, which may have a pink hue if pink Himalayan salt is used, use a clean paper towel to completely wipe it out.
Start taste testing day 5 and then again every couple days. When the flavour is just right, seal jar with jar ring and lid and keep in the refrigerator. Ferments can keep in the fridge for several months. The longer you leave them, the more sour they will become. For a milder version, try fermenting for 2 to 3 weeks, for sourer flavours, let continue to ferment for another 2 - 4 weeks before transferring to the fridge.
Notes
Salt: Fine Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt are preferred for fermenting. Iodized salt will stop the fermenting process as will any caking type salts.
Kahm Yeast: is not mould. This yeast is safe to eat, though many prefer to wipe it out with a clean paper towel, as it can alter the taste of the fermented food. Removing it is very easy to do. Just skim the surface with the paper towel until all of the Kahm Yeast is removed. Any white clusters, floating near the surface may be mould. If it has not started to color and has not touched the food, you can remove it and still eat the ferments.
Storing Ferments: Keep the ferments in a cool place between 60-70˚ F or 15-21˚C. It does not have to be a dark place. The counter top is fine. I would avoid storing ferments in the basement as they tend to be damp and may have mould spores present.
Coverings: Instead of using a piece of cloth, place the silicone top on to the jar and screw on the mason jar lid.