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Do you love the idea of introducing fermented foods to your child, but have no idea how to get him or her to eat them?
If the answer is yes, this recipe is for you. It only involves a few ingredients, one of which is a vegetable that even picky eaters can usually tolerate. Carrots.
I love the idea of having pre-cut veggies in the fridge to grab as a quick snack or side dish for my toddler’s meal. Now that I have a newborn in the house, healthy meal and snacks preps will be part of a never ending juggling act.
I used to buy pickled carrots for this purpose. Last week, while I was prepping food to have for the first week after my daughter’s birth, I decided to try an experiment; lacto-fermented carrots.
4 Tbs Sea Salt
4 cups of water
1 lb Carrots (peeled and cut into sticks)
2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
Cutting Edge Cultures (probiotic starter)- 1/5 packet – or- (1/4 cup sauerkraut juice)
2 quart size wide mouth mason jars
fermenting lids & weights
Before starting, sterilize your equipment.
1. Prepare the starter culture. (Most directions will say to mix the culture with water and let it set for around 10 minutes).
Note: You can use any type of starter culture. You can even use juice from a lacto-fermented vegetable instead of buying a probiotic starter culture. But if you are new to fermenting stuff, a starter culture might help make you less nervous about the finished product.
2. Wash, peel, and slice the carrots into sticks.
3. Place them in the bottom of a wide mouth quart mason jar.
4. Peel and slice the ginger pieces and place them in the jar.
5. Mix the sea salt and water together, to make the “brine”. Pour it over the carrots and ginger.
6. Add the starter culture to the jar.
7. Place a weight on top of the carrot sticks, to keep them under the brine. (I sometimes use a smaller jar as a weight. Whatever works).
8. Put the fermenting lids on, to keep out undesirable yeasts and allow gases to escape. (A lid is not necessary, the carrots will be protected as long as they are under the brine. But beginners will probably feel more comfortable using a fermenting lid).
9. Let the carrots ferment for 3-7 days.
10. Store in the refrigerator. These carrots will store well for weeks instead of days. (I have stored fermented veggies for months without them spoiling.
I was very pleased with the way these carrots turned out. They make a quick, easy, healthy side for lunch or dinner. They are also delicious.
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