Vadasz Raw Sauerkraut, 400g

Product Information

Leave the cabbage to ferment in a cool place (not the fridge), out of direct sunlight, for 4–7 days. The sourness comes from the lactic acid produced during the fermentation process. If the sauerkraut is fermented at too high a temperature it can inhibit the process. Loosen, then tighten, the lid briefly each day to allow any gas to escape that has collected as the result of the fermentation process.

The fermentation process creates conditions that are perfect for the growth of helpful probiotics (live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to our health). It’s currently quite difficult to buy unpasteurised sauerkraut in most of the main supermarkets in the UK, and if you do find sauerkraut in a supermarket it’s likely to be pasteurised.More and more, consumers understand the relationship between fermented vegetables and gut health. Even when Vadasz first started selling his fermented products, some consumers were already aware of potential links between the microbiome and health benefits, including improved immunity. But more recent scientific research is also increasing this understanding. The other factor driving increased interest in fermented foods likely links to globalisation, suggested Vadasz. “With this global world, everything is linked. We’re on the internet, we know so much more about other people’s food cultures [such as Korean kimchi culture], and I think that’s a really important [factor] driving this.”​ Made from a combination of pineapple, cabbage, cauliflower, turmeric, garlic and ginger, Vadasz’s Pineapple and Turmeric Sauerkraut uses a traditional fermentation process with unpasteurised ingredients to retain the brand’s famous crunch and fresh flavour.

Research out of Stanford University, for example, has found that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods boosts microbiome diversity and improves immune responses. Foods consumed during the study included yoghurt, kefir, fermented cottage cheese, kimchi and kombucha tea. Taste the sauerkraut after 4 days and, if the flavour is as you like it, you can slow the fermentation dramatically by chilling. Alternatively, leave longer to develop the flavour more fully. The sauerkraut should be tangy with a slightly salty cabbage flavour and will become crunchier. Sauerkraut is considered to be gluten-free as it does not contain any ingredients with gluten. While sauerkraut does contain around 0.9 g of protein per 100 g serving, it's mainly simple amino acids that do not trigger allergic reactions, avoid sauerkraut that contains additives as they might contain gluten.

RAW KIMCHI

Using tongs, a potato masher or clean hands, knead the cabbage until it starts to break down from the salt and there is enough liquid to cover.

Brand manufacturers usually label their canned sauerkraut products to indicate their gluten quantity. Sandor Katz’s book The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World is a fantastic reference book for anyone who wants to start fermenting at home. High street health food store Holland and Barrett don’t currently sell unpasteurised sauerkraut, although they do sell Biona Organic Kimchi, also made from fermented cabbage. Biona is an organic company here in the UK. Unfortunately it is not unpasteurised. Ghenghis Khan brought it to Europe 1,000 years later, and the Germans named it sauerkraut (which translates to “sour cabbage”).Charlie Holland, senior marketing manager for Vadasz, said: “Vadasz Raw Kimchi and Raw Garlic and Dill Sauerkraut make it easy to add a burst of colour, taste and texture to the meals we love – as well as create new and inspired recipes such as kimchi pancakes.