Lacto-Fermented Carrots

These shredded carrots are flavored with Garam Masala spices, making them great for adding a little extra pop of flavor to your favorite recipes.

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Prep Time: 15

Fermenting time (hands off): 5

Total Time: 5 15

Servings: pint

Author: Kris Bordessa

Shred carrots by hand or with a food processor.
4 cups carrots
Combine shredded carrots, salt, and garam masala in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Use your hands to massage the carrots a bit, to help release the juices.
1 tablespoon sea salt, 1 - 3 teaspoons garam masala
Transfer mixture to a quart-sized jar. Use the end of a dowel or wooden spoon to mash the carrots into the jar, pushing them down until they’re covered by juices. It will not look like you have much juice. When you smash the carrots down into the jar, you’ll be surprised.
Place one or two glass weights on top of the carrots. If they are not entirely covered by juices, top them off with a bit of filtered water. It’s essential that the carrots are completely submerged.
If you have a fermenting lid, use that to cover the jar. If not, you have two options. Cover the jar with a tightly woven piece of cloth and a rubber band (cheesecloth is not a good option here), or screw on a regular jar lid. If you opt for the jar lid, you'll need to loosen it daily to release any gasses that build up.

Let sit at room temperature for a several days or a week, until the carrots take on a tangy fragrance, then refrigerate.

Use less garam masala if you plan to eat these fermented carrots straight from the jar. If you'd like to have these on hand for adding to salads and other recipes, use the larger amount.
This recipe does not require that you use mason jars. Any recycled jar will do.
Successful ferments should smell pleasantly tangy. If there is an off odor, discard. You can use pH paper to test the acidity of the mix to be sure it's acidic enough for long-term storage. This recipe should test at 4.6 or lower.