Fermented vegetables
lacto-fermented beets and beet brine
old vegetable fermentation tradition
Beets, rasalas, beet soups, šaltibarščiai, fermentation, brine, garlic, rye bread
Beet brine, Fermented beets
Beets in Lithuania
The Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia's beet context shows their old place in Lithuanian food history: they are mentioned in manor inventories from the mid-16th century and in the price list of the Third Statute of Lithuania of 1588. Fermented beets are one way to preserve them and give acidity to soups; during fermentation they are preserved by lactic acid.
Beet rasalas can be used for beet soup, šaltibarščiai, salads, or as a sour addition.
Rasalas
Rasalas is the liquid from fermented beets. It should be red, sour, and fresh.
If kept too warm or in unclean conditions, rasalas can spoil, so hygiene matters.
Raw or cooked
Raw beets give a firmer texture and a clearer fermentation process. Briefly cooked beets may ferment more gently.
Both methods are used, but cleanliness and proper brine must be maintained.
Serving
Fermented beets suit beet soups, mixed salads, potatoes, herring, or as a sour winter side.
Rasalas can provide the sour note in soup instead of vinegar.
Recipe
How to ferment beets
Beets can be fermented raw or briefly parboiled. The rasalas should be pleasantly sour, not slimy and without a bad smell.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg beets
- 1.5 l water
- 35-45 g salt
- 3 garlic cloves
- A slice of rye bread or a spoonful of rye flour, if using a traditional fermentation starter
Method
- Wash, peel, and cut the beets into slices or sticks.
- Place them in a clean vessel with garlic.
- Dissolve the salt in water and pour over the beets.
- If using bread, place it briefly on top and remove it later so it does not mold.
- Keep at room temperature until sour, then move to the cold.
Notes
The beets must be covered by liquid.
A slimy, bad-smelling, or moldy ferment is not suitable for eating.
