If you are ready to make a twist on your typical coleslaw recipe, it might be time to try curtido, a Salvadoran coleslaw!
20 minutes
160 minutes
4
INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT CULTURES FOR HEALTH
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What Is Curtido?
What’s the difference between curtido and coleslaw? With most of the same ingredients, the biggest difference between traditional American coleslaw and Salvadoran curtido is oregano. Traditional curtido is made with vinegar and ready to eat within a few hours, but at Cultures For Health, we obviously had to try fermenting it!
Health Benefits of Curtido
Curtido contains many probiotics because of the lacto-fermentation process. Probiotics help maintain a healthy gut and restore proper digestion.
Here’s what you need to get started on making your own curtido…
Equipment To Make Curtido
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Large mixing bowl
- 2 quart-sized jars (or 1 half gallon jar)
- Cheese grater
- Fermentation weights (optional)
- Airlock (optional)
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Scale (optional)
Curtido Ingredients
- 1 large head of green cabbage
- 1 TBS sea salt
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 large carrot
- 2 jalapeño peppers or 2 tsp of red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp dried or fresh oregano
- 1 tbsp mother brine (optional)
How To Make Curtido
- Slice the onions and cabbage into thin strips, like you would for coleslaw or sauerkraut.
- Grate the carrots and combine them with the cabbage and onions in a large bowl.
- Toss the vegetables in with the salt and let rest for 30 minutes to begin sweating.
- While the vegetables are sweating, cut the jalapeños. Remove the seeds and stem and dice small. Do the same if you’re using fresh oregano.
- After 30 minutes, add the jalapeño and oregano to the vegetables.
- Pack the vegetables into the jar(s) and press down to make sure all vegetables are submerged in the brine. You can also weigh down your vegetables if you’d like.
- If you are using a secure lid, screw your lid on and burp your curtido every 12-24 hours based n how active it is.
- If you are using an airlock, you should see activity in the airlock within the first 24 hours.
- Taste curtido after 3 days. It will take up to 7 days to be ready to eat.
- When it is to your liking, store it in the fridge.
Look at that beautiful pink color after it's finished fermenting! Impress your friends and family with this twist on your traditional coleslaw! Try it out and tag us in your final product on Instagram and TikTok @culturesforhealth
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