Homemade Sauerkraut

Method

1. 1

   Wash a 1 litre jar, a small jar or glass that fits inside it, and a large bowl in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Peel off 2 outer cabbage leaves and keep them whole. Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core and shred the rest as finely as you can.

2. 2

   Tip the shredded cabbage into the bowl with the salt and caraway. Squeeze and massage it hard with clean hands for 8 to 10 minutes, until it turns glossy and soft and a pool of salty liquid collects at the bottom.

   10 min
3. 3

   Pack the cabbage into the jar a handful at a time, pressing down firmly with your fist or a wooden spoon so that liquid rises over the top. Leave 3 cm of space below the rim. Pour in any liquid left in the bowl.

4. 4

   Fold one of the spare leaves over the surface and push the small jar on top as a weight, so every shred stays under the liquid. Cover loosely with the lid or a cloth held on with a band, so gas can escape.

5. 5

   Stand the jar on a plate in a cool room, 16 to 20C, out of direct sun. Press the cabbage down once a day for the first 4 days to keep it submerged. Bubbles and a sour smell are normal.

6. 6

   Taste after 7 days. It should be pleasantly sour and still crunchy. Leave up to 14 days for a stronger flavour. Remove the weight, put on the lid and store in the fridge, where it keeps for several months.

7. 7

   Safety notes: keep everything under the liquid. A white film on top (kahm yeast) can be skimmed off, but fuzzy blue, green or black mould, pink slime or a rotten smell means throw the whole batch away.