Ingredients
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1 medium cauliflower (about 600-700g), broken into florets
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2 tablespoons fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced (or 1 tablespoon ground turmeric)
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1 tablespoon mustard seeds
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon coriander seeds
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1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional, but lovely)
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2-3 dried curry leaves (if you can get them - they're magic)
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1-2 fresh green chillies, sliced (optional)
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3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
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Small piece of ginger (about 2cm), sliced
EQUIPMENT
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1 litre jar (or 2 x 500ml jars)
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Small bowl for mixing brine
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Weight to keep vegetables submerged (a smaller jar, fermentation weight, or a cabbage leaf tucked in)
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Clean cloth or loose lid
FOR THE BRINE:
Directions
Make your brine first. Dissolve the salt in the water - you can use warm water to help it along, just let it cool to room temperature before using. Taste it - it should be pleasantly salty, like the sea.
Break your cauliflower into bite-sized florets. I like them chunky so they stay crisp, but cut them however feels right to you.
- If you want a toasty flavour - lightly toast your mustard, cumin, coriander and fenugreek seeds until fragrant - just 30 seconds or so. This wakes up the oils and gives you a deeper flavour. However - you don't need to toast your spices - I wrote a bit about that here.
Now pack your jar. Start with some of the spices at the bottom, then layer in cauliflower florets, turmeric slices, garlic, ginger, chilli (if using), curry leaves, and more spices. Pack it in fairly snugly but don't bruise the cauliflower.
Pour your brine over everything, making sure all the vegetables are submerged. Leave about 2cm of headspace at the top.
Weigh everything down. This is important - any cauliflower that floats above the brine can develop mould. I use a smaller jar that fits inside, or you can tuck a cabbage leaf over the top to hold everything under.
You want to allow gases to escape but keep dust and flies out, so use an airlock system if you have one. Otherwise make one with some freezer or zip lock backs - double bagged and one with salt or water inside. This will both weigh the veg. down and keep the air out. Pop another bag over the top for good measure.
Place your jar on a small plate or tray (it might bubble over a bit) and set it somewhere at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.
Check it every couple of days. You'll see bubbles forming - this is good! Press down on your weight to release any trapped air bubbles and make sure everything stays submerged.
Taste after 5-7 days. In warmer weather it might be ready sooner, in cooler weather it could take up to 2 weeks. You're looking for a pleasant tang, softened but still crunchy cauliflower, and those spices mellowed and integrated.
When it tastes right to you, remove the weight, secure the lid, and refrigerate. It will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge and the flavours will keep developing.
Recipe Note
Fresh turmeric is ideal but ground works fine - just know it won't look quite as pretty and the flavour is slightly different. If using ground, add it when you make the brine so it disperses evenly.
That turmeric will stain. Your hands, your cutting board, possibly your jar. I don't usaully mind it... but wear gloves if you're precious about your fingernails, and know that the golden tinge fades from skin within a day or two.
White scum or foam on the surface is normal - just skim it off this is just Kahm yeast. Actual mould (fuzzy, coloured) means something wasn't fully submerged. We do not want that - try and remove the kahm yeast before it encourages other growth by removing any affected pieces and check that the rest smells and tastes good before continuing.
The spices will settle at the bottom. When you serve this, make sure to scoop up some of those flavoured bits - they're delicious.
