Ginger and turmeric sauerkraut

Increase the heat! It’s the perfect time to add this flavor-packed hotty to your diet because it’s Hatch chili harvest every fall. In addition to the ginger and turmeric, the Hatch chiles add flavor and heat. The amount of heat is determined by how much of the white membrane inside, or pith, you add. Fermentation releases and activates the beneficial compounds in the turmeric. The ginger adds a tangy snap, and the chiles give depth and heat.

Ingredients: Green or red cabbage, salt, water

Start by weighing your cabbage in grams. A pour-over coffee scale works great for this, and you can also use it to make coffee.

A 1.5-liter (about 50-ounce) jar holds one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cabbage.

A two-liter jar can hold 1.5 kg (3 lb) of cabbage.

Five large, fresh Hatch chili peppers with or without pith. No seeds.

One inch of very thinly sliced, peeled ginger and turmeric root. If you can find quality organic roots, then peeling is not necessary; just gently wash and scrub them.

Reserve a couple of outer leaves and chop the rest, stem and all. The degree of fineness or chunkiness is totally up to you. There is no wrong way. Place them in a large bowl. Add the ginger and turmeric.

Now, add 2% of the cabbage’s weight in clean salt, such as Diamond brand. Do not use iodized salt or poor-quality salt, such as the famous “M” brand, as it contains caking agents.

For example, if your cabbage weighs 1 kg (1,000 g), then use 20 g of salt. Anything in the 2-3% range is fine, and it does not have to be precise. More is not better; stay within the 2-3% range.

Sprinkle the salt on the cabbage and massage it in with clean hands.

Pack it into a jar and press down as you add it to minimize air pockets.

Place one or two whole leaves, trimmed to fit the jar, on top. Add a glass weight or another type of weight.

Now, fill the jar with clean filtered or spring water. Do not use tap water, as it contains chlorine and other contaminants. Make sure the water level is above the cabbage.

Seal the jar with either a bubbler or by placing the lid on top without force. Gas will be produced and needs a way to escape.

Let it sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. I prefer a 10-day fermentation, but there are no rules. Start tasting it after day three, and then refrigerate it when it reaches the desired flavor. I wouldn’t let it sit with plain cabbage for more than two weeks, as it can get soggy.