How to Make Curtido for Pupusas (Salvadorian Sourkrout)

There are many different recipes out for Curtido.  We have adopted this one as our favorite mainly for it's richness in nutrition.  And if you visit us for lunch or dinner, just ask, we'll have it.  If we don't, it's because it's "souring".  I like to have it handy all the time because when I don't have time to chop everything for a green salad.  I just take the jar out of the refrigerator and we have our serving of salad booming with vegetables.  I have tried this same recipe with purple cabbage and it's delicious too.

Unlike other recipes, this one is lacto-fermented.  This process enhances the nutritional content in the vegetables.  The  best I can describe it is as eating "super raw vegetables".  They are bubbling with enzymes which are good for digestion and proper nutrients assimilation.  I have had curtido on my pizza, on my black bean burritos, even on pasta dishes.

Curtido Ingredients:

One whole cabbage (purple or green)

Two medium onions or one large

3-4 carrots or 1 cup grated

4 Tablespoons whey

1 Tablespoon salt (choose a rich mineral kind)

1 Tablespoon oregano

Directions:

1.  Finely chop all vegetables and add all remaining ingredients together.  You don't need to mix, unless you want to.

2.  Let the fun begin!  Everyone takes a turn at smashing the vegetables.

We do this for about 10 minutes until all vegetables can fit in two quart size jars.  You can use any jar(s), just not metal.   To smash it, we use the vitamix thumper or a meat tenderizer.  I stop using   my meat tenderizer because in one occasion, I cracked a jar while smashing the vegetables.   A molcajete stone would work too, just be careful if your container is glass.

3.  Transfer the mixture to your container(s).  Cover tightly and let them sit for two days.

4.  After two days it is ready to eat. Transfer it to the refrigerator to stop fermentation process.

Now we are missing the Pupusas, coming soon!