A Fermented Version of Curtido is the Best Ever

If anyone is familiar with Pupusas, those marvelous little antojitos (cravings) from El Salvador, then you also might be familiar with the Curtido that is generally served alongside.

I was first introduced to Pupusas in 1971, in Guatemala at the InterFair, an international fair that brought all sorts of things to exhibit from all sorts of countries. There were stands that had machinery to exhibit for sale, stands that had little handicraft items for sale. It was a study in contrasts. My understanding (as I was only in the country for a little over a year at that point) is that prior to then, where Pupusas were sold at a little stand at that fair, these treats were relatively little known as such. 

Fermented Curtido

But let me tell you, once they were introduced, they spread everywhere like wildfire, soon popping up on many street corners, sold from someone's stand or even from a window in someone's house. They became a staple around our house. We all loved them, including the kids.

So what are Pupusas?

Interestingly, I have never made these, because I have not made tortillas from scratch. Pupusas are nixtamalized corn, ground to make tortillas, then filled with usually one of three things, either minced chicharrones, pureed black beans, or cheese. Once the ball of masa is opened up a bit, then filled, and then patted out to thicker than a tortilla, it is fried or cooked on a hot comal, or clay plate over a fire. As if this was not just goodness itself, there was always a condiment to go with them, called Curtido."

Okay, Curtido?

Curtido means "pickled," implying a vinegar component. This condiment was a lightly pickled mixture of cabbage (the main event) with onion and carrot, possibly garlic, and fresh cilantro and oregano. Salt and vinegar were the pickling ingredients and it would set together in a big jar for a few days. This was doled out along with the pupusas. And it was heavenly.

I love cabbage, just about any old way it comes around. I realize not everyone is as enamored of cabbage as am I, but still. I loved the pupusas, but the curtido positively MADE the flavor. 

So last year I was introduced to fermenting foods, and I quickly went on to make sauerkraut, then a long series of other ferments, some more of a hit than others. I learned a lot over the last year, both about fermenting and what works. I continue to ferment foods on occasion, trying to eat something fermented at least once a day. There is a Red Cabbage and Beet Kraut that has been a real popular ferment with me. My husband won't touch them. If it is pickled in vinegar, look out. But the ferments? No, he doesn't seem to want to try them at all. Me? Oh, MAN, I love them. I am not so into pickled things though. My husband and I - we are a real case of Jack Sprat and his wife. 

Okay, so as I started thinking about Curtido, I wondered if it was possible to make the stuff fermented or not. Obviously, the vinegar would not be used. Fermented vegetables rely on salt to hold off any harmful bacteria while the vegetables themselves begin to ferment. So I set down a recipe and made a one-quart batch to try out. I let it ferment for about 6 weeks. 

The result? This Fermented Curtido is now my top of the list most favorite of ferments! I was concerned about the use of oregano in it. I don't mind some, but this was a little heavier than I generally go with the amount. But it was really delicious. While I have no pupusas to use it with, I sort of make a quickie quesadilla with two corn tortillas and some cheese melted in between. It is marvelous.

Fermenting Curtido

Fermented Curtido

Makes about 1 quart

1 small cabbage, about 1 pound
1 onion, quartered
2 - 3 carrots, peeled and coarse shredded 
2 Serrano chilies, minced or sliced
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1½ tablespoons coarse sea salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup starter from a previous ferment, or whey 
water, if needed

Shred cabbage and place in a large bowl. Slice the onion quarters into thin quarter rings and add to the bowl with the Serranos, carrots oregano, cilantro and sugar. Sprinkle on the salt and toss the vegetables. Let stand for an hour. 

Add in the lime juice and starter liquid (mine was from a batch of fermented salsa) and begin squeezing the vegetables to break them down as much as possible. Alternately, use a meat tenderizer with a flat side to pound the vegetables. Either way, this reduces the volume to about half what was started. The vegetables should have created a lot of juice by this time.

Pack this mixture into one or two jars, preferably the bail and wire latch sort, and pack it down very tightly int he jar. Press very hard to get the vegetables very compact and submerged in their liquid. Leave at least ⅓ of the jar as headspace, because as the vegetables ferment they tend to lift and create an amazing amount of liquid. Cover the vegetables with a cabbage leaf, or even the bottom core end of the cabbage (cut off flat) to press down the vegetables. Use weights if needed to keep everything under the brine. Add water only if the vegetables do not have enough liquid to cover by a minimum of 1 inch. Stick on a piece of masking tape and mark what the ferment is, and what date it started, and what date to check it. 

Set on a counter and cover it with a towel to keep out light. Gently burp the jar daily, opening it only minimally to allow any gases to escape.

Check it in three weeks for flavor. I left mine for 6 weeks and it is absolutely perfect. So perfect that I now have another batch, doubled this time, fermenting away on the counter. I can hardly wait!


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fermented Red Cabbage Kraut

Fermented Red Cabbage Kraut with Beet

Since this past June when I started fermenting foods, I have discovered a lot of flavors heretofore missing from my taste repertoire. Each one is an experiment, and I never know what will be great or what will fall flat. My original sauerkraut recipe was delicious, and I truly thought nothing could beat it. Then I made a Lacto-Fermented Picalilli and my taste buds really took notice. Since those initial ferments I have made a lot of different things, some great and a couple that were certainly not to my taste.

Not too long ago I started a red cabbage ferment with some red beet grated in. I do not like raw beets. I absolutely love cooked beets, just about any way. Making this red kraut, which I hoped to enhance color-wise with the beet, was a total experiment. This time it was a tremendously successful experiment. I cannot taste the beet at all, and the color is lovely. The overall flavor is far better than the green cabbage kraut. I just love it!

Fermented Red Cabbage Kraut with Beet

Red Cabbage Kraut with Beet

Fermented Red Cabbage Kraut with Beet

1½ pounds red cabbage, finely shredded
1 beet, about 5.5 ounces, peeled and shredded
2 cups baby arugula leaves
1 large red onion, cut in thin slivers
2 red Fresno chilies, sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried hibiscus flower tea 
¼ cup liquid from a previous ferment, as a starter
1 teaspoon juniper berries
½ teaspoon allspice berries

4 - 5 teaspoons coarse sea salt 

2 - 4 cabbage leaves for covering the final mixture

BRINE, if needed:

1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt, dissolved in:
1 cup water

Place all the ingredients into a very large bowl with the salt. Use hands to squeeze the mixture or some implement to smash down the mixture and break down the cell walls of the vegetables (such as a meat tenderizer or a heavy rolling pin). The goal is to break down the vegetables enough so that the overall size and amount shrinks to about half the original bulk. This can be done in short bursts, allowing the mixture to rest for an hour in between and form its juices. It is preferable to have the cabbage make its own juice, but if there is not enough juice to cover the mixture when the vegetables are pressed down, then the added brine may be needed.

Pack the mixture into one very large or two smaller bail-wire jars (Fido) fitted with an airlock. Allow about ⅓ empty jar space above the vegetables. Press the mixture into the jars very tightly, ensuring that the juices completely cover the vegetables. Cover with the reserved cabbage leaves and weight the vegetables with glass weights or zip-top baggies of water. The goal is to keep everything submerged. Close the lid and have the airlock in place. Set the jar in a dark corner to ferment for 2 to 4 weeks. This time will depend on how warm or cool the room temperature is. Cooler will take longer fermenting time. Warmer will ferment more rapidly. 

Once fermented to your taste (or when all bubbling stops), re-pack the ferment into jars with a plastic lid and refrigerate.  


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.