Sprouts and Vegetable Sauerkraut.

When I was reading one of Isabell Shipard's books recently I came across a recipe for making Sprouts and Vegetable Sauerkraut. I have been successful with making a few batches of sauerkraut with cabbage and carrot lately so thought I would be adventurous and try a new recipe.

 



Firstly I sprouted 1/2 cup mung beans for a few days until the sprouts were as long as beans. Then I pulled up a couple of carrots from the garden, washed and grated them and sliced two small onions.

 



 

Then I cut up enough nasturtium leaves, stems and flowers to make up 1 cup.......

 

 



 

....then pounded these ingredients to release some of the juices. They wouldn't fit in my little mortar and pestle so I used a saucepan.

To that mixture I added 4 tablespoons whey powder, 2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 tablespoon oregano.
1 teaspoon cayenne powder can be added if desired. Mix well and put into glass jars.

 

Leave several days before using to allow the flavours to blend.

 

Sorry for the fuzzy photo but I wanted to show how the sauerkraut was really bubbling away after a couple of days.

 

When I finished making the sauerkraut I was unsure as to whether to leave it out of the fridge for a while like with the cabbage sauerkraut as I was uncertain as to what would happen with a mixture which had whey in it. I was unable to contact the office at Isabell Shipard's Herb Farm as they were closed when I rang so, after leaving the bottle out of the fridge for a few days in really hot weather, I thought it would be advisable to refrigerate it before I went away for the weekend. 

 

Today I contacted the herb farm again and Isabell was in the office at the time and I spoke to her about the sauerkraut and she said it could have been served when it was first made if I wanted to do that but could also be left a little while also depending on how tangy I wanted it I guess.  She happily gave me permission to post the recipe on my blog and also answered my questions about some of the herbs we want to buy from her farm. She is really a lovely person and I can recommend her books and DVDs which are on her Herbs are Special website.

 

In hindsight, I think I would probably make a smaller amount for the three of us next time and would use it earlier than I did. In the really hot weather we had I should have put it into the fridge earlier too but it's all about trial and error, isn't it? We always know better the second time round.  

 

If you would like to have a go at making this sauerkraut here is the recipe:

 

 

Sprouts and Vegetable Sauerkraut

 

2 carrots, grated

2 small onions, sliced

Cut up enough nasturtium leaves, stems and flowers to make approximately 1 cup

1/2 cup mung beans which need to be sprouted until they are as long as beans.

 

Pound these ingredients in a pestle and mortar, so that some of the juices are released.

Add 4 tablespoons whey powder, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional). Mix well.

 

Put into glass jars and leave several days before using to allow the flavours to blend.

 

If you make this recipe let me know what you think of it. It is a bit different from the norm!