This naturally lactofermented carrot-cabbage slaw isn't your typical kraut. It's flavored with spicy fresh ginger & has a bright flavor. Ferment for just a few days for a lightly tangy, crunchy kraut, or longer for a more pronounced tangy flavor.
Wash and peel your carrots. Trim the outer leaves from the cabbage (if necessary). Quarter the cabbage and cut diagonally to remove the tough core.
Weigh your cabbage & carrots, and calculate the salt if the weights are different than those above (keep the same basic ratio of veggies until you're familiar with fermenting).
Peel and grate or puree the fresh ginger.
Thinly slice or shred your cabbage and carrots.
Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl, layering the salt and ginger as you add the vegetables to the bowl so it's easier to get a uniform mix. Toss them well. It's easiest to mix them with clean hands, but you can also use tongs.
Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. The salt will begin to pull liquid from the vegetables to make a brine.
Carefully pack the shredded veggies into wide mouth glass jars, crocks, or fermenting containers. Tamp them down as you add the layers to press out the air.
Divide the liquid left in the bowl between the jars. Let sit a few more minutes and top up with cold water if needed to bring the brine level above the slaw. Add glass or ceramic weights if you are using them.
Cover the jars with airlocks, lids fitted loosely enough to allow gasses to escape, or with tightly woven cloth tied on or rubber-banded to the top.
Place in a moderately cool place (ideally between 55-70 ℉) for 5-14 days. The slaw will ferment faster in warmer temperatures, but will retain more crunch and a cleaner flavor with a longer, cooler ferment.
Sample periodically with a clean utensil, and refrigerate your slaw when it has reached the level of tang you like. You can also continue to store it in a cool, dark place like a cellar or cold pantry. The flavor will continue to develop and will eventually be quite sharp (if you don't eat it all first!).
Notes
Total yield may vary, depending on how dense your veggies are. I was able to get most of this batch into a half-gallon mason jar, with about a pint left-over in another jar. You can probably fit it all in two wide-mouth quart jars.