Eats by Dro - Ep.6: Fermented Curtido

cabbage

🥗Healthier: napa cabbage

💰Cheaper: green cabbage

Napa cabbage offers a similar texture and flavor while being slightly more nutritious.

jalapeño

🥗Healthier: serrano pepper

💰Cheaper: bell pepper

Serrano provides heat similar to jalapeño, while bell pepper adds crunch without spice.

Welcome to the episode and introduction to curtido.

Gather ingredients: 1.5 heads of cabbage, 3 carrots, 1.5 onions (white preferred), 2-3 habaneros, kosher salt, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and dried epazote.

Clean the vegetables by rinsing them to remove visible dirt.

Cut the cabbage into thin slices and keep a few outer leaves for later use in the ferment.

Chop the onions into thin slices.

Grate the carrots instead of julienning them for easier mixing.

Measure the total weight of the chopped vegetables, which should be around 2.5 kilos.

Calculate the required salt content (2-3% of total weight) and measure out approximately 50 grams of salt.

Distribute the salt across the vegetables and massage it in to help release water and create brine.

Let the salted vegetables sit for 10-20 minutes to draw out liquid.

Pound the cabbage mixture gently to release more liquid, being cautious of chili splashes.

Add 1.5 tablespoons of Mexican oregano, cracked pepper to taste, 3/4 tablespoon of cumin seeds, 1/2 tablespoon of coriander seeds, and dried epazote to the mixture.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly to combine.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary