Kraut Chi - A Delicious Hybrid of Fermentation Traditions

Kraut Chi is a term coined by the famous Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World and renowned fermentation revivalist.

What is Kraut Chi you ask? In an excerpt from The Art of Fermentation Sandor describes it as "a hybrid of sauerkraut and kimchi, the German and Korean words for fermented vegetables that we have adopted into the English language."

One thing we know for sure is that Kraut Chi is simply delicious. Thanks to inspiration from Sandor Ellix Katz, today we want to share with you our very own recipe for Kraut Chi - delicious, nutritious and easy to make!

Kraut Chi Directions

1) Prepare your Equipment

Wash your jar and fermentation kit components throughly with soap and warm water. Assemble your fermentation kit components making sure to push the gasket into the inside of the lid tightly so it is underneath the lip and lying flat. Fill the airlock with water. Set the fermentation kit aside.

2) Prepare Vegetables & Ingredients

Place your shredded cabbage in a large stainless bowl with the 1 1/2 tsp salt. Toss to combine. Massage or pound the cabbage and salt vigorously to create your brine (see our video workshop on making sauerkraut for some extra tips!). You can massage for 5 minutes, let it sit for 30 minutes, and come back. Or you can massage actively until the brine forms.

Once you have formed your brine, mix in the sugar, chili flake, garlic, ginger scallions, daikon and carrots. Taste test it! If your kraut chi does not taste salty you need more salt. If a brine is not forming you need more salt.

3) Pack your Kraut Chi

Fill your mason jar with the kraut chi mixture, using your fist to push it down into the jar. Pack the jar very tightly. Fill the jar so the brine rises above the top of the vegetables. Leave 1/8 inch head space between your brine and the lip of the jar. Place your fermentation kit on top of the vegetables and brine. If your jar overflows, that’s ok. Adjust your headspace back to 1/8”. Twist on the fermentation kit lid and insert the airlock into the airlock hole. I sometimes place my jar inside a bowl or on a sheet pan to catch the overflowing juices during fermentation.

4) Ferment!

Place your mason jar fermenter in a location where the temperature. Your Kraut Chi needs to ferment for 7 days at 65°-70°. If you would like to make a larger or smaller batch of this recipe you can use these ratios...

• 1.5-2 tsp salt per pound of vegetables
• 1.5-2 tsp sugar per pound of vegetables
• 75% Cabbage 25% other vegetables
• Chili flake to taste

Over to You...

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Always make sure you are following all safety guidelines outlined by the USDA when canning or preserving anything.