Radish Bombs are an easy place to start when it comes to exploring fermentation for the first time. This recipe is brilliantly fiery with the addition of chilli, ginger and garlic, however, they are just as good without the chilli and ginger.
Makes 400g
- 15g sea salt
- 10g caster sugar
- 1lt mineral water
- 3-4 pinches of chilli flakes
- 1-2 tsp seeds (either fennel, anise, cardamom, coriander or caraway)
- 400g radishes, tops trimmed
- 1 red onion, sliced into rings
- 3-4 garlic cloves, halved
- 3 slices of root ginger
- 2-3 large slices of lemon
You will need
- 1lt preserving jar, without rubber seal
- 1 piece of yoghurt pot plastic, to use as a follower
- Wash your preserving jar with hot, soapy water and rinse well. Make the brine by stirring the salt and sugar into the water until dissolved. Sprinkle the chilli flakes and seeds into the preserving jar and layer up the vegetables, garlic and ginger, finishing with the lemon slices on top.
- Pour over the brine until everything is completely submerged and covered by at least 2.5cm and reserve any leftover brine. Wedge the follower (plastic yoghurt pot) on top, making sure that everything is submerged. If you need to add weight to keep everything down, use a ziplock freezer bag filled with the reserved brine.
- Loosely close the jar and leave to ferment at room temperature for 7-12 days. After 3-4 days, the radishes will magically lose their colour and the brine will turn pink. Taste them after 7 days to see if they are sour enough, but they may take up to 12 days.
- When they are ready, replace the rubber seal and store in the fridge for up to 6 months. Open and reseal the jars once daily for the first few days of refrigeration to release any gas.
Food for a happy gut by Naomi Devlin, published by Headline
What is a follower?
A follower is an object that fits within your fermenting vessel to hold the vegetables submerged under the brine. Alternatively or sometimes additionally a weight is used – this is typically a smaller jar or food bag filled with brine and used to push the contents below the fluid level.
