Sour-Beets

Soured beets, or specifically kvass from them is used to make traditional Polish Borshch. Many Poles drink it on its own. It is salty and garlicky and very slightly sweet and a bit sour.

This is a very traditional Polish take on it.

Beets fermenting!

You will need:

• 3 litre jar

• piece of gauze or tea towel and a string

• mandoline slicer or knife

• fermenting weights optional

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beets, organic if you can get them

• 1/2 garlic bulb, cut across

• 6 bay leaves

• 8 pimento seeds

• 10 black pepper seeds

• 2-2 1/2 tablespoon salt (50 -55 gram, aiming for 2 % of total weight)

• 6 cups of water, filtered preferred

• Optional: piece of sourdough rye bread or splash of fermenting liquid from previous ferments (i.e. sauerkraut)

Method:

1. Slice washed beet as thinly as possible (no need to peel unless you feel like it) and place into the jar

2. Cut unpeeled garlic bulb across if not already done, add to the jar

3. Add all other ingredients to the jar

4. Make sure all vegetables are fully submerged. Push them down and use weights if available. Small ceramic plate can be used as weight

5. Put jar away, best away from other ferments (like Kombucha) to avoid contamination

6. The beets will be ready in 10-14 days up to 3 weeks if you have not added any bread or fermentation liquid (start tasting after 10 days). Otherwise, they might be ready as soon as in 3-5 days (start tasting after 3 days)

fermented beetroots ready to sample