Spicy Lacto-fermented Pickles
According to traditional foods expert Sally Fallon (author of the book Nourishing Traditions), an ambient temperature of 72°F/22°C is ideal for making lacto-fermented vegetables. At this temperature, the process should take 2 to 4 days (if your kitchen is cooler, it will take longer, and if it’s warmer, things will speed up).
Servings: 0 Makes enough to fill a 1-qt/960-ml jar
Ingredients
- 5-6 pickling cucumbers Kirby cucumbers, or 6 or 7 small Persian cucumbers (about 1 lb/455 g), ends trimmed off, and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp all-natural Thai fish sauce or wheat-free tamari
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 jalapeño pepper thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
Instructions
- Clean the glass jar in hot, soapy water, or use the hottest setting on your dishwasher.
- Combine the cucumbers with the salt, fish sauce, maple syrup, jalapeño. garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Mix well, then transfer everything to the glass jar. If a few pieces of the cucumbers don't fit, that's fine; you can just eat them.
- Add enough water (preferably filtered water) so the liquid covers the cucumbers. (The cucumbers may want to pop up over the brine, so to ensure they stay below it, I've started putting a piece of sliced cucumber over the top of the pickles as a "weight"...you can see what I mean in the top photo of this post). I discard the "cucumber weight" once I transfer the pickles to the refrigerator.) It's important to leave about 1 inch/2.5 cm. of room at the top of the jar before closing the lid. If you don't leave enough room, liquid may seep out of your jar as the pickles ferment.
- Allow your pickles to sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 days. You'll know they're done when the brine begins to bubble; do not worry if the brine is a bit cloudy- this is completely normal (it's also normal for the hue of the cucumbers to darken a bit). Enjoy right away, or store in the refrigerator, where the pickles with keep for at least 2-3 weeks: the heat from the jalapeños will mellow a bit as they sit in the brine.
Notes
- These pickles are a little bit sweet and pack quite a bit of heat; I adore them and snack on them frequently.
- For this recipe, you'll need a 1-qt/960-ml glass canning jar with a lid made of metal, BPA-free plastic, or glass.
- To keep your pickles extra crisp, you can try adding something that provides tannins, such as a horseradish, oak, or grape leaf (I do not generally do this and I think the pickles are just fine).