Whole sour cabbage ( hr, Kiselo zelje u glavicama, sr, Kiseli kupus u glavicama, literally: "cabbage soured in heads") is a

fermented Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food p ...

vegetable food preserve, popular in

Eastern European Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...

and

Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

cuisines. It is similar to

sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...

, with the difference that it is prepared through the

lacto-fermentation Lactic acid fermentation is a metabolic process by which glucose or other six-carbon sugars (also, disaccharides of six-carbon sugars, e.g. sucrose or lactose) are converted into cellular energy and the metabolite lactate, which is lactic acid ...

for several weeks of whole heads of

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&n ...

, not separate leaves or grated mass. No

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

or boiling is required. It is a homemade food preserve, commonly prepared in large barrels filled with whole cabbage heads and water salted with sea salt.

Preparation

After the external leaves and core have been removed, the cabbage heads are salted, packed into the barrel as densely as possible (another reason why round form is required) and covered with salted water (4–6% of salt). A heavy load (a rock, for example) is placed above, to keep them under the water, in anaerobic conditions. From time to time the water has to be reversed (flushed from the bottom of the barrel and than again sluiced onto the top), adding more (always with salt) if necessary. A higher salinity makes the fermentation slower, while an insufficient salinity makes it unsafe. Higher temperatures require a higher salinity. The fermentation should be done at 16-22 °C. The best temperature is 18-20 °C. A cabbage fermented at a lower temperature has a better

fragrance An aroma compound, also known as an odorant, aroma, fragrance or flavoring, is a chemical compound that has a smell or odor. For an individual chemical or class of chemical compounds to impart a smell or fragrance, it must be sufficiently v ...

. The best known microorganisms involved in the process include ''

Leuconostoc mesenteroides ''Leuconostoc mesenteroides'' is a species of lactic acid bacteria associated with fermentation, under conditions of salinity and low temperatures (such as lactic acid production in fermented sausages). In some cases of vegetable and food storage ...

'', '' Lactobacterium brevis'', ''

Streptococcus faecalis ''Enterococcus faecalis'' – formerly classified as part of the group D '' Streptococcus'' system – is a Gram-positive, commensal bacterium inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of humans. Like other species in the genus '' Enterococcus'' ...

'', '' Pediococcus cerevisiae'' and '' Lactobacterium plantarum''. File:Pressing salt into cabbage.jpg, Pressing salt into cabbage File:Cabbage final layer.jpg, A barrel filled with cabbage heads

Use

Sour cabbage is a popular Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Bulgarian and Romanian food, consumed mainly during the winter half of the year, both raw or cooked. Raw, it is a very popular winter

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...

, usually served dusted with pepper powder (''aleva paprika'') and/or

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...

, but also as-is. In cooking, it is used for sarma, and in other dishes, such as

podvarak Podvarak (Serbian Cyrillic: подварак) is a dish, popular across the countries of the former Yugoslavia. The primary ingredients are sour cabbage or sauerkraut (подварак од киселог купуса) or fresh cabbage (подва ...

. File:Serbian Sarma.jpg, Sarma File:Podvarak.jpg, Podvarak

References

{{portal bar, Food Pickles Bulgarian cuisine Serbian cuisine Salted foods Plant-based fermented foods Vegan cuisine Condiments Cabbage dishes Ancient dishes

Preparation

Use

See also

References