Ingredients
- 8 cups coarsely grated* carrots (about 2 lb)
- 6 tsp sea salt
- 2 to 4 tsp grated fresh ginger (leave peel on if you’d like)
Prep Time:
1 week fermentation time
Number of Servings:
Makes about 1 quart (Serves 8)
Recipe Source:
Fresh & Fermented by Julie O’Brien & Richard J. Climenhage ($24.95, Sasquatch Books, 2014). Photo by Charity Burggraaf
Directions
- Put carrots in a large bowl and sprinkle them with salt. Use your hands to thoroughly work salt into carrots. When carrots have shrunk down to about half their original volume and have generated a briny, watery base, taste them and add more salt or water if necessary.
- Add ginger, starting with 2 teaspoons, making sure it’s evenly distributed throughout. Taste and add additional ginger if a stronger flavor is desired.
- Pack carrots tightly into a quart jar until they’re about 2 inches below rim, weighing them down with an optional weight (clean glass coaster, small glass jar filled with water).
- Make sure brine completely covers compressed carrots by about 1 inch, and that they’re about 1 inch below rim of jar. Let jar sit at room temperature, roughly 64° to 70°F, topping carrots with more brine if needed. Carrots should be ready to eat after 1 week (or let them ferment longer for a richer taste). Store them in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Notes
Crisp, piquant, and gingery, Yin Yang Carrots are versatile, adapting well to the cuisines of many cultures. Tuck them into fresh spring or sushi rolls, blend them into hummus, toss them with salads and slaws, or scatter them on nachos. Try whirling them with olive oil and a dash of sesame oil, hot sauce, and tamari for a flavorful salad dressing. Of course, you can always eat them plain—they make a spirited side salad or snack. Any color of carrot will work, including yellow, purple, and white. Note that mixing carrots of different colors may not result in the vivid colors of a single-color batch.
*Before grating, scrub the carrots of any visible dirt. Grate them on the large holes of a handheld grater. Using the grating blade of a food processor will yield pieces that are too small, and they will only get smaller when you massage and pound the salted carrots.
Nutrition Info:
51 Calories, 1 g Protein, 12 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Fiber, 286 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin A, ★★ Vitamin K, ★ Vitamin C, Potassium
Try Your Carrots in This
These delightful Buddha bowls are the perfect home for them.
