In honour of the brave Ukrainian woman who weaponised her fermentation skills by hurling a jar of fermenting tomatoes at a Russian drone – may we all channel such creative resistance
There's something deeply satisfying about the power of fermentation. These tomatoes don't just pickle – they transform into explosive little gems that fizz on your tongue, bursting with tangy, umami-rich flavour that's somehow both bright and deeply savoury.
Ingredients
500g cherry tomatoes (or as many as fit snugly in your jar)
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
3% salt brine (30g salt per litre of water)
Directions
Prepare your jar– Clean and sterilise a 1-litre jar. Make sure your tomatoes will fit with a bit of room at the top.
Layer the aromatics– Pop a basil leaf or two at the bottom, add the garlic, then pack in your cherry tomatoes. Tuck more basil leaves throughout and on top.
Make the brine– Dissolve 30g of good salt (I use Australian sea salt) in 1 litre of filtered or dechlorinated water. If you're making less, keep the 3% ratio – it's the sweet spot for tomatoes.
Cover completely– Pour the brine over the tomatoes until they're fully submerged. You may need to use a weight or a small jar to keep them under the brine.
Ferment– Seal with an airlock lid or regular lid and burp to let out gas regularly over the next few days. Leave at room temperature (20-24°C is ideal) for 5-10 days.
Taste and refrigerate– Start tasting after day 5. When they've reached your preferred level of tang and fizz, move them to the fridge. They'll keep for months.
How to Enjoy Them
These little beauties are magnificent torn over fresh buffalo mozzarella with a drizzle of good olive oil, scattered through salads, or just eaten straight from the jar standing at the fridge at midnight (no judgement here).
The fizz is from the beneficial bacteria hard at work – that's the magic of wild fermentation. When you bite down, they explode in your mouth with layers of flavour that no vinegar pickle could ever achieve.
Don't Discard That Brine!
The brine left in the jar is liquid gold. It's packed with probiotics, infused with tomato sweetness, garlic punch, and basil brightness – absolutely gorgeous to sip on as a gut-healthy tonic.
Use it to make the most incredible Bloody Mary (or virgin Bloody Mary for a probiotic morning pick-me-up). Mix it with olive oil for a punchy salad dressing that needs nothing else. Or simply pour yourself a shot glass and drink it straight – your gut will thank you.
Note: While larger tomatoes work beautifully too, cherry tomatoes are truly special – their size and skin thickness create the perfect texture and that explosive pop of flavour.
Store in the fridge once fermented. They'll continue to develop flavour over time.
