Fermentation looks complicated—But it isn't really
when you try it.
Not to be confused with the likes of Store-Bought Items that are most times Unhealthy.
Like Everything Else, they adulterate them with Colors and Chemicals.
Can't help themselves, can they!?
Not to mind, we can bypass them and make Our Own - Cheaper and Healthier:)
An Extra Activity to keep you Cosy in Your Kitchen during the Winter Months.
(Other Months Too)
Give cabbage a little sea-salt, time, and darkness, and you’re suddenly hosting a bubbling micro-universe that Upgrades Salads, Sandwiches, Wraps and Pasta Bowls.
Here are the 10 Moves that Keep my Countertop Crocks Fizzing All Year-Round.
You can keep them in your Pantry if you prefer.
Try These Gourmet Ferments For Beginners
Save On Purchase Prices In Stores!!!
Gather Your Gear
Skip the fancy kits.
You only need:
A knife and cutting board
A big bowl
Two wide-mouth glass jars (1-liter/1-quart)
Something to weight the vegetables—
a smaller jar, a clean river stone, or those
glass weights they sell affordably.
The simpler the setup, the easier it is to rinse, reuse, and stay consistent—
a tiny psychological trick that removes “I don’t have the tools” quandary.
I bought my Jars at a good price from Cheap as Chips
and proper Glass Weights from Amazon Australia
Different Sets Nbs and Prices HERE
Choose Your Veggies
Cabbage is the classic starting point because it’s firm and naturally coated in lactic-acid-producing bacteria, but don’t stop there.
Daikon, carrot sticks, beet batons, even spinach or chard stems all ferment beautifully when sliced thin.
I learned this the hard way after a farmers-market haul left me with more produce than fridge space.
Here's an Encouragement: Fermenting turned potential waste into the Tangy Bowl Toppers I now reach for daily, proving that the best cooking projects often begin with a mild panic.
As fermentation revivalist Sandor Katz likes to say, ‘Fermentation is an engine of transformation.’”
Sea Salt Sets The Stage
Use 2 percent sea-salt by vegetable weight.
That means 20 g of sea-salt for every kilo of shredded produce,
or roughly one flat tablespoon per pound.
Massage until the Veggies Wilt and Release Brine.
Why so precise?
The Sea-Salt draws water out, discourages spoilage microbes, and signals the right bacteria to clock in.
Think of the Sea-Salt as the bouncer at the microbial nightclub—
it makes sure Only the Friendly Organisms get in.
Note: Himalayan Salt and Celtic Salt contain 84 Trace Minerals etc and benefit our Health (most of us) Please Avoid Common Salt, Commercial Salt and Table Salt (they are the ones that are bad for us because of nasty Additives) These taste Better and you use less of them!
Available in different Sizes and Prices on Amazon HERE
Pack, Press, and Wait
Stuff the salted mix into your jar, pressing firmly until brine (salty liquid) rises above the solids.
Weight it down, cap it loosely, and place the jar on a saucer to catch any drips.
The psychology here is simple: visible progress equals motivation.
Each bubble tells your brain, “Look, something’s happening!” —
A Micro-Reward that keeps you coming back to check, learn, and iterate.
Keep Oxygen Out
Lactic-Acid bacteria thrive without air; mold does the opposite.
Make sure the brine fully submerges the vegetables. Top up with a pinch-salty water if evaporation exposes the surface.
The Centers for Disease Control reminds home preservers,
“If the food is discolored, moldy, or smells bad, throw it out.”
Trust your nose—and your common sense.
Watch The Bubbles
Day two or three, you’ll spot fizz racing to the lid.
That’s carbon dioxide—the sign that microbes are chewing through sugars and lowering the PH.
Professor Maria Marco, a leading Fermented-Food Researcher, notes that these Microbes are “the only Naturally Probiotic Foods available to us” when handled correctly.
Translation: the more bubble activity you see (within reason), the livelier the final product and the bigger the potential Gut-Friendly payoff.
Taste Test Like A Pro
After about five days at room temperature, start sampling with a clean fork.
Looking for a light tang? Cap and refrigerate now.
Craving deeper funk? Let it ride another week.
I’ve mentioned this before but tasting early beats waiting on a calendar.
Your palate, kitchen temperature, and patience—not a recipe—decide when a batch is done.
Ramp Up The Flavor
KIMCHI: add Gochugaru (Korean Chili Powder, is dried Chilli Powder or Flakes) Minced Garlic and Ginger (Avoid those made in China, they are actually Toxic) and Scallions (Green Onions) to your salted Napa Cabbage (Chinese Wombock Cabbage) before packing.
Sauerkraut: fold in caraway seeds or grated apple.
(whichever you prefer)
Quick pickles: try Dill, Mustard Seeds, or a dash of Rice Vinegar on day four for an extra zippy edge.
On a recent photo trip through Seoul Korea, every street vendor’s Kimchi Tasted Different—
Proof that Tweaks turn a basic recipe into Signature Flavor!
Store It Right
Once you love the taste, move the jar to the fridge.
Cold slows fermentation to a crawl, locking in acidity and crunch for months.
Label the lid with a Sharpie (Permanent Brush Tip Marker) date, salt percentage, spice notes.
Future-you will thank present-you when tweaking the next batch,
and the simple act of Labeling reinforces habit Formation (tiny investment, big return).
Use Some Each Day
Kimchi jazzes up avocado toast.
Kraut slides into tacos.
Fermented veggies also are great for something salty but nutrient-dense—
a win-win when those cravings hit.
Katz offers one more reminder: “Our perfection lies in our imperfection.”
Some batches fizz over, some others go limp.
Keep fermenting anyway. Consistent practice wins perfect results,
in Food and in Life.
End Notes
Fermenting at home is equal parts Kitchen Science and Personal Experiment.
Master these ten moves once, and you’ll never look at Surplus Produce—
or Store-Bought Pickles—the same way again.
Ready to start bubbling? Grab a Jar, some Sea-Salt, and get Your Microbes Moving!
I've added small amounts of to this Article to bring Clarity for You and Necessary Information from Years of Research. And the Introduction before her Photo of Preserves.
Article Source HERE
In your Kimchi, you can use Green or Red Cabbage, Daikin Radish, Radishes, Red Onions, Red, Green and Yellow Capsicums, Zucchini, Cucumber, Celery and Chilli of-course - please don't Overdo it, and Start Light. Easy does it! And remember that Daikin Radish is Very Hot, for those who don't know!
Commercial Pickles usually contain preservatives like Sodium Benzoate or Potassium Sorbate to extend shelf life - Cheapskate Money Mongers. Both of these Chemicals are Nasty to Our Health. But Homemade Fermented Veggies are Beneficial for Our Health and become a delicious Treat for your Side Dishes. They're also much more Affordable.
And please have in Moderate Amounts because as with many things, Excess is not good for you. Especially Excess of Chillies - be Informed.
Did you know that Most bottles of Kombucha that are sold Commercially in Supermarkets have Erythritol (a sugar alcohol) in them which is actually damaging to Our Health, and Manufacturers won't leave it alone. What a Paradox. Some of them have been told it is Safe - such is Not the Case. Sorry to say. But Homemade Kombucha is Safe and Very Beneficial to Our Health. Kefir is also!
RELATED READING
Taking Care Of Digestive and Gut Health: Our Microbiome An Absolute Must!
The Foods We Eat Have An Impact On Our Mental Health Often – Especially Over Time
Zero-Calorie Sweetener Erythritol Linked To Heart Attack And Stroke, Study Finds
The REAL FACTS On Food Additives and Chemical Nbs and How They Affect Us
Why Salt Is Really Bad For You AND Its Really GOOD For You Too – How To Know The Difference!
To Salt Or Not To Salt? That Is The Question – Some Facts Will Surprise You!
My 'COPY ME THAT' RECIPE BOX
(Similar to Yummly)
It's Easier if You wish to make Your Own Collection from My Recipe Box.
AND Tine will not shut her Program Down like Yummly did
(so thoughtless of them - I lost 460 Recipes too)
Tine gave up Work for a Software Program Company to make Copy Me That
so she would Never Lose one of her Favourite Recipes again.
Then her Program became Popular. She has both Free and Paid Memberships.
50 Recipes for Kimchi – Kombucha – Milk Kefir – Water Kefir with Fruit, Etc HERE
See what I have, you will be amazed!
You will also find Lots of Recipes for Homemade Treats like Yogurt
and Kefir and Soft Cheeses and Dairy Desserts in another Recipe Box I have HERE
YES You can Save a Lot of Money in Your Shopping Budget by making Your Own Fermented Treats and Homemade Dairy Treats.
At the same time, you can Keep these Food Items in Glass Containers and shoo some of those
Micro-Plastics away. You can cut down on them - Hey?
This is one of many Types of Yogurt Makers you will find on Amazon HERE
Always go for Glass and Stainless Steel Bowls and Glass Jars. Never Plastics.
Prices Vary - Have Fun Browsing!
Note: I am not an Amazon Affiliate - their Rules are too stringent for me.
I find some Very Good Buys there and have placed some Links on this Page:)
Enjoy Your Ventures!