If you’ve tasted Chef Jake & Nicky’s pickles and preserves you no doubt have your favourites that you would like to re-create at home. Some are easier than others and the fermented chilli in Jake’s words is ‘easy as’!

The first decision you need to make is whether you want to jar your chilli and make it shelf stable or whether you just want it in in the fridge for everyday eating. If you want to jar it, you can use any glass jars with lids from home or purchase jam jars. For every day eating a simple storage container in the fridge will do the trick.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1kg of long red chillis, tops removed and roughly chopped
  • 500ml of kraut or kombucha juice
  • 250g of sugar
  • 100g minced ginger
  • 100g minced garlic
  • 1.5% of salt by weight of the chilli once topped (15g salt)

METHOD

  • Blend  chillies, ginger and garlic in a blender
  • Add kraut / kombucha juice, salt & sugar and blend until desired consistency
  • Pour into a suitably sized glass or plastic container, cover the top of the chilli mixture with a sheet of baking paper and then put a lid on it
  • Label and date your container
  • Allow to stand for 24 hours out of direct sunlight, remove baking paper, stir mixture, replace baking paper
  • Leave to stand for a further 4 days (no mixing required)
  • During the fermentation process white bubbles will form on the surface, these are perfectly safe and can be mixed into the mixture
  • If you are going with the fridge option, you can move to the fridge after the 4 days (consume within a month)
  • If you are jarring your fermented chilli once the 4 days is completed cook the chilli over medium heat for 30 minutes
  • Pour into sterilised jars and boil for 7 minutes

For more information and tips on jarring click here.