I don't really know how to make a good cultured food that is teaming with healthy bacteria. My favorite taste wise is kimchee. I've tried making it, and it just seems like it's not really that good. I know it's simple, but I need a little guidance anyway. Can someone give me specific instructions?

For example:
the best type of cabbage
the best probiotic culture (prana, I forgot what you said you used)
any seasonings to make it taste good- I like tart, spicy flavors.
how long to let it sit- inside the fridge or outside?, covered or not?

I know there's a recipe thread that this might get moved to, but it doesn't get that much action it seems like, and I want to get a good batch going. The probiotic supplements I'm taking seem so inferior to a good cultured vegetable.

Thanks so much!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2011 04:32AM by marsh.

Here's what I do:

I have made kimchee and sauerkraut in both a mason jar with an airlock installed in the lid, and using a 2 gallon fermentation bucket, which comes with a grommeted hole on top, and you can install an airlock. You can buy a mason jar fermenter from perfectpickler, already made.

For a one quart mason jar of kimchi/kraut, I use:

a small head of green cabbage, or half a large one. But enough to fill the mason jar
a grated carrot
a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger, peeled
small red bell pepper grated
2 tablespoons of microbes
2 tablespoons (or to taste) of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of pepper flakes (or to taste)

Save one or 2 good leafs of the cabbage to use as a cover of your kimchi/kraut. Shred the cabbage in a food processor with a slicer disc.

I used a potato masher to pound down the cabbage in a bowl to soften it. Then mix the ingredients together, and place in the mason jar. I put a cabbage leaf on top of the kimchi so that the cabbage won't float to the top. I then put a small shot glass on top of the cabbage leaf to catch the fluids that will come out of the cabbage. If the kimchi is not submersed under liquid, I will add some filtered water that has a tablespoon of microbes in it, so that the kimchi is submersed. The less water you use, the better. Or better yet would be to juice some cabbage, and use the cabbage juice. The water tends to dilute things a bit.

I then close the mason jar and put water into the airlock. I ferment the kimchi at room temperature for 3 days, in a cabinet or covered with a towel if you don't have a dark place to put it.

See [www.perfectpickler.com] to buy a premade mason jar fermenter. Or you can make your own if you have a home brewing store in your city. The airlock will cost under $2.00, and the rubber grommet is about $0.50. You need a mason jar with a plastic lid, and you need to drill a 1/2 inch hole in the plastic lid, and then install the grommet.

Or you could buy a fermentation bucket. Here is an example: [www.northernbrewer.com]. You will have to buy an airlock.

If you use a fermentation bucket, you will need to multiply the above recipe by 4 to make a gallon of kimchi. I use small plates to weigh down the cabbage leaf on top.

I decribed the microbes I use in this message: [www.rawfoodsupport.com]
Here is the probiotic: [www.innovativeprobiotics.com]. I use the non-food grade version of this product, which is 1/5 the cost for the same volume, but it is designed for the garden, not really for human consumption: [www.innovativeprobiotics.com]. So I cant recommend it for others, but I use it myself.

Instead of using green cabbage, you could use napa cabbage.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2011 05:42AM by Prana.

The reason to use the mason jar fermenter or a fermentation bucket is because they don't allow air to come into your kraut/kimchi. This means you won't have molds or yeasts growing in your food, as it might if you fermented in an open container or bowl. The airlock allows gases to escape from your fermentation without allowing insects or mold/yeast from coming in.

Also, using the EM (effective microorganisms), sometimes there is negative pressure, so the airlock I recommended above will allow for that.

I have the Perfect Pickler, works brilliantly for me every time I ferment with it. I'm sure you could rig one up yourself but I support the fellow who developed and sells it in health food stores. I get regular emails from his site with tips and recipes so it's more than paid for itself.

Remember the prebiotics too, they are the most important part of restoring healthy gut flora balance. You can only repopulate so many strains and being that there are thousands of different gut bacteria strains it is a good idea to feed and stimulate there activity with prebiotics.

Rice bran 2 tablespoons a day is good vegan choice and provides other nutrients such as b vitamins and antioxidants.

[www.amlaberry.co.uk]

Thanks so much! Now I see why my method wasn't working...

That's great. Thanks so much for the great guidance. I really appreciate it.

powerlifer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Remember the prebiotics too, they are the most
> important part of restoring healthy gut flora
> balance. You can only repopulate so many strains
> and being that there are thousands of different
> gut bacteria strains it is a good idea to feed and
> stimulate there activity with prebiotics.
>
> Rice bran 2 tablespoons a day is good vegan choice
> and provides other nutrients such as b vitamins
> and antioxidants.

What about post-biotics, hmmm?
>
> [www.amlaberry.co.uk]

There is a lot of beneficial material on the internet, especially YouTube, on culturing with probiotics. Coconut almond yogurt is loaded with live bacteria, and is so simple to make. My favorite is on liferegenterator's youtube Channel. I also agree with powerlifter...rice bran is great stuff!

[www.perfectpickler.com]

Quote

Prana Wrote:
Also, using the EM (effective microorganisms), sometimes there is negative pressure, so the airlock I recommended above will allow for that.

Does this apply to both the 3 piece design too (not just the s curve design you prefer)?

rawutmamma, that coconut almond yogurt sounds like heaven.

Once a airlock and gromett, lid is in hand, what about the jars. Is there a jar out there that is opaque? Just wondering, I would think that some foods would be affected by the sunlight - for better or worse. I can't help but notice that the more expensive fermentation crocks are opaque.

Hi Prana, can I ask a question about making the airlock system for a mason jar. You say to use a mason jar with a plastic lid - is that essential? I can only find ones with metal lids. It's a shame, there's no perfect pickler jars available in the UK it seems Another question for anyone using a perfect pickler - is it easy to get the right size jar to go with it? (In case I just end up ordering one from the States). There doesn't seem to be any info about lid size etc. Thanks x

u can use a metal lid too no worries! Just drill a hole in the lid and figure out a way to seal the airlock in there. A grommet would be ideal, but i didn't have 1 so I just melted wax all around it!

Awesome!! Thank you Rawlion, my life just got way easier!