Cabbage Rejuvelac

Since cabbage is full of lactobacteria, it lends itself to lacto-fermentation and no starter is needed.

Ingredients
• 3 cups cabbage, fresh, coarsely chopped and loosely packed
• 1st Batch: 1 3/4 cups water, non-chlorinated – see note
• 2nd & Subsequent Batches: 1 1/2 cups water, nonchlorinated, plus 1/4 cup of fresh rejuvelac (from the prior Batch)

Note: Always use filtered water when making Rejuvelac because chlorine kills bacteria, even the beneficial ones!
How to Make the 1st Batch of Rejuvelac (takes 72 hours):
1. Put the cabbage and the water in the blender.
2. Start the blender at low speed and then advance the blender to high speed and blend for 10 seconds or less. Be careful not to blend it too much. It should be shredded, not liquefied.
3. Pour the blended cabbage and water into a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid (a quart jar is excellent to use).
4. Ensure there is at least 1 inch of space above the mixture/liquid to allow room for expansion, and screw the cover on tightly.
5. Keep the jar in a place that is about room temperature for 3 days. Room temperature is about 72°F or 22°C.
6. After 3 days (72 hours) strain off the liquid rejuvelac, and save the liquid in a glass or jar, and discard the cabbage. Refrigerate rejuvelac if keeping it overnight. The cabbage can be used to make other dishes, i.e. sauerkraut, kimchi, etc. – see uses for leftover cabbage below.
7. It is the liquid that is the fresh rejuvelac, which you drink for its probiotics.
8. After straining off the fresh rejuvelac liquid make your 2nd batch of rejuvelac, which uses 1/4 cup of fresh rejuvelac from your 1st batch, as follows:
The first batch of cabbage rejuvelac takes 3 days (72 hours) to ferment, but the 2nd and all subsequent batches take only 1 day (24 hours) each.

 

How to Make the 2nd & Subsequent Batches of Rejuvelac (takes 24 hours)
1. Put 1 1/2 cups of purified water and 3 cups of coarsely ground, loosely packed fresh cabbage in the blender.
2. Start the blender at low speed and then advance the blender to high speed and blend for 10 seconds or less. Be careful not to blend it too much.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid and add 1/4 cup of the fresh rejuvelac. just strained off from the previous batch. Leave at least 1 inch of space above the mixture/liquid to allow room for expansion.
4. Screw the cover on tight, shake, and let it stand at room temperature until the next morning (24 hours).
5. After 24 hours strain off the liquid rejuvelac, and save it (liquid) in a glass or jar, and start your next batch.

 

How to Make Cabbage Rejuvelac without a Blender
1. Chop up 2 1/2 cups of cabbage very fine (replacing the 3 cups in the recipe above), and use the same amount of water (1 3/4 cups).
2. Put the cabbage in a glass jar and pour the 1 3/4 cups of water over it. Follow the rest of the recipe above.

 

What Should Good Quality Rejuvelac Taste Like?
Good quality rejuvelac tastes similar to a cross between carbonated water and the whey (liquid) obtained when making yogurt. Bad quality rejuvelac has a much more putrid odour and taste and should not be consumed.
If the rejuvelac is to be kept overnight, refrigerate it. Discard any rejuvelac on hand 24 hours after it is poured off of the cabbage.

 

How to Take Rejuvelac
Drink 1/2 cup of cabbage rejuvelac three times per day, preferably with meals.

 

Uses for Leftover Cabbage from Rejuvelac

Add it to vegetable soup or stew.
Add lemon juice, some crushed minced garlic and ocean sea salt for a quick condiment to serve along with meats.
Make Kimchi
Make a boiled dinner with cabbage, other vegetables and ham hocks.

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My Health Maven offers information on a wholistic approach to healthy lifestyle choices.