Fermented Kale by Shauna

Ingredients

800g Kale (finely sliced/chopped) 

200g Cabbage (finely sliced - if working with a small amount of kale) 

Garlic 

Fresh Chilli

Fresh ginger

Mustard seed

Fresh parsley 

20g Salt (non iodised sea salt) 

Thoroughly clean a large bowl and clip top jar.

Method

In the large bowl bring together all the ingredients and weigh. 

Take 2% of your veg weight in salt (i.e 1kg combined veg/ingredients = 20g salt)

and mix through with thoroughly clean hands. 

Continue to combine, squeezing a little, letting it rest and continuing- the kale/cabbage should release liquid and we want as much as possible. 

Once your mixture has reduced nicely and has a good amount of brine, transfer it to the jar, little by little, pressing down firmly with each handful.

Ideally you want a 2 finger width space at the top of the jar, and the veg to be totally covered with the brine. Use a glass weight/clean small glass jar/ cabbage leaves to press it down.

Close and leave to sit on the counter top for a few days. It will start to ferment and release it's own gasses, although from time to time you can gently and slowly open the jar to release the gas, then close again. 

Lacto-fermenting needs an anaerobic environment, so wants to be closed and not exposed to air as much as possible - while being submerged in that magical brine, to ensure no spoilage.

Once fermented (5 days to taste, leave longer to allow for further fermenting - around 21 days for a full cycle, but it's also about taste preference) 

Play around with flavour combinations, they are endless! -Served here on Sourdough topped with British fava bean hummus, zaatar sprinkle & pickled turnip.

Follow Shauna (@petit_bwyta) chef at Wild Thing, a plant-based cafe with social goals.

During the pandemic, Wild Thing set up an emergency food provision service for local residents and organisations, to ensure they had access to free, nutritious food every week.

Cooking and working together on this project as well as previous community events such as a free community supper, has been so inspiring and energising. Fighting food poverty & educating about nutritious food on a low budget is a strong goal of Wild thing and something that has always interested me.

Cooking was one of my first creative outlets as a kid and food in general has always got me excited. I really think that sharing food is one of the most special ways to connect and enjoy each other's company. Cooking and being in a kitchen environment brings me calm and focus and feeding people just brings me so much joy.