Mar 28,2019
Sauerkraut — that sour-tasting pickled cabbage served with sausages and other meat dishes — is a fermented food widely eaten in Europe. Made by fermenting cabbage with lactic acid bacteria, it’s perfect for supporting gut health. Hence it deserves as much of a place on the Japanese dining table as tsukemono (traditional Japanese pickled vegetables). And because it’s a cinch to make, you might be smart to prepare it in your own kitchen.
Here, dietitian and food coordinator Wada Wakako, a Japan Fermentation Culture Association-certified instructor who runs Les Anges Blancs cooking school, tells us about sauerkraut and its nutritional benefits. She also explains how to make sauerkraut and shares a recipe featuring it.
Sauerkraut is generally associated with Germany, but in fact it originated in ancient Roman times. This traditional food is widely loved in other parts of Europe besides Germany, including Russia, the Netherlands, and Britain. The French call it “choucroute.” It once served as a valuable source of vitamins during winter, especially in the cold north.
“Cabbage pickled in vinegar is sometimes called sauerkraut as well, but sauerkraut in the proper sense of the term is fermented using lactic acid bacteria to bring out the sourness, not pickled in vinegar. Many people are surprised to hear that. In Japan, it’s also known as ‘lactic acid cabbage.’”
Sauerkraut is fermented by the action of the lactic acid bacteria present on the surface of cabbage leaves. It’s made by thoroughly mixing shredded cabbage with salt and spices to draw out the moisture, then pickling it.
“In the West, caraway seeds* are often used to spice sauerkraut, but they have a rather idiosyncratic taste. For that reason, I’d recommend using cumin seeds or dill instead, since they’re fairly easy to get hold of in Japan. They eliminate the raw smell of the cabbage and make it more palatable. To help prevent it from going bad, it’s also a good idea to add a takanotsume chili pepper with the seeds removed.”
*Caraway seeds are the brown oval fruits of the caraway plant. They’re characterized by their sharp, citrus-like aroma. They’re called “seeds” because that’s what they look like.
Sauerkraut is rich in vitamin U, calcium, dietary fiber, and other nutrients. Cabbage contains plenty of nutrition to start with, and the fermentation process increases its nutritional value. That makes sauerkraut perfect for supporting gut health.
“Sauerkraut contains plant-derived lactic acid bacteria, which can reach the gut more easily than animal-derived lactic acid bacteria such as found in yogurt. It’s thus potentially more effective at maintaining intestinal health. And if you’re a woman, a gut that’s in good working order has all kinds of benefits, right, like healthy-looking skin.
“Plus pickling cabbage and drawing out the moisture reduces its bulk. That makes sauerkraut an easier way to get fiber and nutrients than cabbage eaten as is. It gets an A plus on that score as well.”
All you need to make sauerkraut is salt, cabbage, spices, and a container. but there are several things to keep in mind when making it at home. The most important: beware of unwanted bacteria, which multiply alongside the lactic acid bacteria during fermentation.
“Bacteria fight over territory, and if one type of bacteria multiplies first, it’s hard for other bacteria to get a foothold. If bacteria you don’t want multiply before the lactic acid bacteria can, lactic acid fermentation won’t proceed smoothly, and the cabbage will smell putrid. It won’t taste very good either. So for starters, take care to maintain proper sanitation by sterilizing your knife, cutting board, and other cooking utensils with boiling water or alcohol.
“But maybe you’re not sure if the heatproof container you’re intending to store your sauerkraut in is properly sterilized, even if you pour boiling water over it. Maybe it’s a bother to find a dish. Or maybe you only want to make a small amount. In that case, I’d suggest using a thick ziplock bag (a ziplock freezer bag would be perfect). You’re going to be fermenting with it, so it’s best to select a size with plenty of extra room.”
Be especially careful in summer, when the room temperature tends to rise. Unwanted bacteria multiply faster when it’s hot, so if possible, it’s better to make sauerkraut at colder times of year.
When making sauerkraut in a ziplock bag, seal the bag well to prevent air from getting in, then place in a tray.
“The cabbage takes three to four days to ferment when it’s warm inside, as in the summer, and five to seven days when it’s colder,” Wakako says. “Sauerkraut also tastes great with carrot or ginger added.” — in the case of the above recipe, 100 g of carrot or 50 g of ginger.
Left: Sauerkraut with carrot. Right: Sauerkraut with ginger.
＜Tips for making great sauerkraut＞
・Thoroughly sterilize your cooking utensils.
・Keep the amount of salt at 2% of the cabbage’s weight.
・Avoid exposing the cabbage to air.
・Add a takanotsume chili pepper to prevent the cabbage from going bad.
If you make too much sauerkraut in one go, you may get tired of the same old taste after a while. But sauerkraut isn’t just a side for meat dishes. It tastes good with other foods as well. You can use it as a sandwich filling or put it in your salad.
We asked Wakako to share one of her custom recipes made with sauerkraut
“Using salt koji lets you further harness the power of fermentation,” Wakako explains. “I think you’ll find this dish is a time-saver, since it eliminates the time it takes to cook the cabbage.”
Sauerkraut is the kind of ingredient you never grow tired of. You can have a lot of fun with it. It can be served as is or used in your cooking. And it’s so easy to make. Go ahead, give it a try!
Fermentation professional Wada Wakako works as a full-time instructor with the Japan Fermentation Culture Association. She also runs Les Anges Blancs, which gives classes in making natural yeast bread and pastries and fermented vegetable dishes (holistic food therapy). She shares the secret to preparing meals that energize body and soul for women constantly on the go — and spreads the joy of creating with you own hands.
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