What’s your favourite fermented food to make and eat?

I recently discovered fermented ketchup - it’s so good, I often plan meals so I can use some.

I love making sauerkraut and mixing in a few additional things like apple and ginger. It’s reassuringly vigorous and I leave the jars out on the counter top and burp them at least twice a day.

What’s your favourite fermented food to make and eat?

I’m still searching for a really good fermented chutney recipe.

Berry kvass in the summer, it's refreshing.  I follow the method in a video from Edible Acres.

For savory foods, brined green tomatoes and brined garlic. The brine from the garlic is also a great flavor boost to sauces and soups. The fermented garlic is mellower than fresh, almost like roasted garlic in flavor

Mk Neal wrote:Berry kvass in the summer, it's refreshing.  I follow the method in a video from Edible Acres.

Thank you for that. Fascinating and great way to make a drink from fruit. I’ll be making some later this week.

For savory foods, brined green tomatoes and brined garlic. The brine from the garlic is also a great flavor boost to sauces and soups. The fermented garlic is mellower than fresh, almost like roasted garlic in flavor

Sounds like a great way to preserve garlic. I will be planting some next month. In the mean time, the garlic in my local store is looking very plump, so I’ll pick some up and have a go. Garlic, ginger and chilli are my go to aromatics and get used almost everyday. It’s time to harvest my ginger now that it’s getting colder, so I’ll also be looking for ways to preserve it for future use.

Leigh Tate posted a great BB for fermented foods permies.com/p/1327468
She made fermented cranberry sauce and author says it’s ‘more like a chutney’, so I will have to give that a go.

Fermented Cranberry Sauce recipe

Sichuan pickles! they can be quick and crunchy or old and strong, and are always on my table.
https://blog.themalamarket.com/sichuans-naturally-fermented-pickles-pao-cai/
(I use a normal glass jar and it works just fine with a weight, I don't have the fancy pickle jar and have never seen one here)

I tried fermenting sunchoke tubers and love the crunchy texture. Besides, since inulin is converted to fructose, it's easier to digest and more nutritious.

Tereza Okava wrote:Sichuan pickles! they can be quick and crunchy or old and strong, and are always on my table.
https://blog.themalamarket.com/sichuans-naturally-fermented-pickles-pao-cai/
(I use a normal glass jar and it works just fine with a weight, I don't have the fancy pickle jar and have never seen one here)

Thank you Tereza - I started this conversation hoping recipies like that would pop up. I love Asian pickles and that one sounds intriguing. My mouth started watering just reading it!  I’ve never seen a recipe with baijiu or other spirit in. Fast pickles are awesome. Thank you.

May Lotito wrote:I tried fermenting sunchoke tubers and love the crunchy texture. Besides, since inulin is converted to fructose, it's easier to digest and more nutritious.

I didn’t know you could do that with sunchokes. I will plant some in a couple of years when I have space. Thanks May.

Edward Norton wrote:I’ve never seen a recipe with baijiu or other spirit in.

This seems common in the Chinese recipes I've seen, sterilizing the container with a bit and then adding some to the recipe- maybe to make sure specific bad bacteria don't proliferate?  (I use vodka, btw, since that's my general "strong kitchen spirit" and easily gotten here)
There is also a great video series from Sandor Katz about Chinese fermentation, if you haven't seen it I highly suggest you do, it's beautiful and a great way to work up a pickle appetite!!!

I've been making kimchi, pickled onions, and just a week into my first sauerkraut batch. I was surprised how easy the onions are to make, I pickled julianed red onion. I keep having to add more chilli flakes to the kimchi each time I've made it, it's not quite spicy enough. I've made pickled limes before and in preparing the oil caused the house to be evacuated.[ edit - this was Indian lime pickles, much different than pickled limes.]

I bought a ferment jar via Kickstarter http://www.kefirko.com/ and it came with a recipe book and has condiment ferments I'm looking forward to making. I realize after the fact it's overkill to buy something like this, though the recipes are worth while. I'll be making some lids to use mason jars so I can make more ferments and I'm on the hunt for a crock pot now.