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Fermented Curtido tops fish tacos. Recipe at FreshFoodinaFlash.com
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5 from 1 vote

Fermented Curtido

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage salad originating in El Salvador. It's cousin is the Korean kimchi. Eat it as aside dish or as a condiment with pupusas or tacos. We used a 1.5 liter fermentation jar and a 3% brine or 1 ounce of salt per quart of water. Larger vegetables require a 5% brine or 1.6 ounces of salt per quart of water. Do not use iodized salt, which kills the good bacteria that does the fermentation work.
Prep Time15 minutes
Ferment7 days
Total Time7 days
Course: condiment
Cuisine: American, El Salvador, Mexican
Servings: 24
Calories: 14kcal

Equipment

  • 1.5 liter fermentation kit

Ingredients

Brine

  • 1 ounce salt canning, pickling, kosher or sea salt
  • 1 quart water

Curtido ingredients

  • 1 3/4 pound cabbage shredded
  • 1/2 pound carrot julienned or grated
  • 1/2 red onion julienned
  • 1 jalapeno chile minced (remove seeds if you prefer)
  • 3/4 ounce salt canning, pickling, kosher or sea salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 lime juiced

Instructions

  • To make brine, mix salt and water, stir and set aside.
  • Discard outer leaves of cabbage.  Rinse under cold running water and drain.  Cut in quarters and remove core.  Shred or slice in 1/4" slivers.
  • Put cabbage in a mixing bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. With clean hands, pack the cabbage mixture firmly into your clean 1.5 liter fermentation jar until salt draws juices from the cabbage.  Be sure the jar is filled to the "max" line, but no higher.  Place your clean, notched weighting jar on the cabbage and press down. This weight is to force water out of the cabbage and then keep the cabbage submerged under the brine.  If juice does not cover the cabbage, add brine and replace weighting jar.  Seal your jar.  Gently twist the airlock into place and fill the airlock with brine to the fill line.  Set on your counter out of sunlight.
  • Curtido will be finished in 5 days when stored at 70° to 80° F or in 7 to 9 days, when storing at 60° to 65° F.  You may allow your curtido to ferment longer, if you wish. Remove curtido from the fermentation jar and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for several months.
  • Caution: If the curtido becomes soft, slimy or develops a disagreeable odor, discard.
  • ENJOY THIS RECIPE FROM FreshFoodinaFlash.com

Nutrition

Calories: 14kcal