Homemade Sauerkraut, Fermented Cabbage, Hapukapsas is a very important and popular dish in Estonia during the autumn-winter time and mandatory food during Christmas time.
In ancient time, Hapukapsas and cranberries were only sources of C vitamin, during winter time.
Sauerkraut is fermented food and this is not the only a source of vitamin, but this is also a source of the probiotic bacterium and this is excellent for your health.
By the way, ancient Estonians believed, that Sauerkraut succeeds best, during New Moon. So, 7th of December is the right time to test it 🙂
Sauerkraut, Fermented Cabbage- Hapukapsas
A fresh, light and healthy fermented food
[recipe-dingredients]
– 1 kg cabbage
– 15 g salt. Do not use iodised salt. Best is coarse sea salt, add salt 1,5%-2% of cabbage
amount/weight.
– sugar speeds up the fermentation.
So, you can add some sugar, apples, cranberries, carrots…
and caraway seeds
But I suggest you in the first time use only salt and cabbage. Additives you can add later.
[/recipe-ingredients]
Directions
- Keep everything perfectly clean. Disinfect all tools with boiling water.
- remove two cabbage leaves
- Chop or grate cabbage in to finely stripes
- Stir in the large boil ( to have enough space) cabbage and salt 5. Press with mortar from cabbage ” water” out. You need enough water, to cover the cabbage. So, do it very diligently
- Put one cabbage leave on the bottom of the (disinfected) fermentation jar. Add cabbage. And put second cabbage leave on the top.
- Cabbage should not get any air: water must cover cabbage ca 2 cm. So, if needed, press more.
- On the top put some press (clean!!! water-filled jar or boiled stone) to keep cabbage under water
- Now leave cabbage 18-24 C for 4-7 days. Time depending on temperature. So 18C takes ca 7 days and 24C takes ca 4 days.
- If you see foam, during fermentation, remove this immediately.
- Ready cabbage is yellow-green, salty and sour
[caption id="attachment_1885" align="alignright" width="333"]
Hapukapsas[/caption]
How to use I give you later more recipes. But “raw ” fermented cabbage use as a salad. Add some oil and/or vegetables. To finish fermentation, remove press, close jar airtight and keep in the fridge.
There are a lot of recipes, were you need stewed, boiled cabbage. And it takes a 1 hour to cook fermented cabbage. So, find the day your neighbours out (because of smell:)) and stew sauerkraut. Stewed Hapukapsas keep in an airtighted jar in the fridge.
Head isu!
Soundtrack Sandra Nurmsalu “Jõuluingel”
Estonian Cuisine. Eesti Toit. 
Never tried something like this, but I think that I’ll give a shot 🙂
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believe me:) this is healthy and tasteful 🙂
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