Christmas spices fermented carrot #veganchristmas

I do not know if I am being objective because I am a fermentation addict now…but even if you are not convinced by this recipe in terms of taste, there is at least one important reason to try it: fermentation is super healthy. It is worth eating such fermented food especially at this time of the year – they are vitamin bombs, natural probiotics and immunity enhancers. And the fact that they taste great is an additional advantage. I will not write about the fact that fermented food is quick and easy to prepare and that it costs almost nothing to prepare a jar full of vegetable probiotics. Almost all vegetables are suitable for the fermenting process. Apart from vegetables, all you need is a jar, water, salt and a little bit of spices. The rest will take place on its own if you put the jar aside for a few days and then forget about it. You can snack on the veggies for a loooong time because any well-prepared pickled stuff should not go bad very quickly.

I include this recipe in my Christmas collection not only because of the spicy cinnamon-ginger flavour accents. It is also one of the easiest fermented food to prepare. Most likely we all have a few carrots at home. Now, carrots prepared in this way are tender, slightly sour and salty – they can be a great addition to a festive feast – a breakfast sandwich or Christmas dinner. But I also like to have them as a snack during the day. Even now, as I create this post, I am eating a few slices of pickled carrots. Seriously!

And one more thing: I think that a good-looking jar of veggies is a cute Christmas gift idea!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Pickling time: 5-7 days at room temperature, then you can put the jar in the fridge.

• 500g of carrots
• a large washed and scalded jar (or two smaller ones)

• 5 cloves
• 3 allspice berries
• 5 garlic cloves (halved)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 1 piece of ginger or 1/3 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 piece of cinnamon or 1/3 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 1l of boiled, cooled down water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt

1. If the carrots have a nice looking skin – do not peel them, just wash them thoroughly. Cut them into thin slices or into other shapes – cutting more at an angle or in neat blocks.

2. Arrange the carrot slices in the jar, layered with garlic and all the other spices.

3. Pour the cold salted water over the carrots. It is essential that all the ingredients are covered with liquid and that nothing is above the surface. Thanks to this, nothing will start to go bad with time. For this, you can use a stone sinker or a bag filled with water (see this method here)

4. Leave the jar, not tightly closed, for 5 to 7 days at room temperature. The fermentation time depends on the temperature and your preferences: I recommend tasting the carrots after four days.

5. When they are properly pickled, it is good to put the jar in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process. When refrigerated, fermented vegetables can be stored for months.

 Tip: it is also a good idea to use the fermentation juice. It is full of flavour and vitamins. It can be used to season soups, sauces, and stews – wherever it might be useful to slightly acidify the dish. My favourite thing is to use fermented juice in Asian soups and broths – in this case, the cinnamon-ginger flavours should make a perfect match.