Kombostos Mzhave

Ingredients

• 3⅓ lbwhite cabbageouter leaves and core removed, cut into large chunks
• 1Beetrootraw, peeled, coarsely grated or thinly sliced; tints the cabbage pink
• 1Carrotcoarsely grated
• 10 clovesgarlicchopped or thinly sliced
• 1Chilihot, seeded and finely chopped or cut into rings
• 1 ozCeleryleaves and tender stalks, tucked between the vegetable layers
• 4¼ cupswaterfor the brine
• 2 tbspsaltnon-iodized, for the brine
• 3½ ozsugarfor the brine
• 1 cupvinegaradded to the brine after boiling
• 5allspicewhole
• 1 tspCorianderboiled with the brine
• 1bay leafboiled with the brine (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the cabbageStrip the outer leaves from the white cabbage, cut out the core and chop the head into large chunks. Don't be shy about keeping them big, that's what keeps them nice and crunchy later on.
2. Cut the vegetables and aromaticsPeel the raw beetroot and either grate it coarsely or slice it thinly, then coarsely grate the carrot. Seed the chili and chop it finely or cut it into rings, and chop the garlic or slice it thinly.
3. Pack the vegetablesEither toss the cabbage, beetroot, carrot, garlic and chili together or layer them in a large jar or pot, tucking the celery leaves and tender stalks between the layers as you go. Press everything down firmly so there's as little air as possible trapped inside.
4. Boil the brineFor the brine, bring the water to a boil with the coarse salt, sugar, allspice berries, coriander seeds and the bay leaf, if you're using it, and let it simmer until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
5. Stir in the vinegarTake the pot off the heat and only now stir in the vinegar.
6. Pour over and weigh downPour the hot brine over the vegetables until they're fully submerged. Weigh them down with a plate or a weight so nothing floats to the top, then cover the jar or pot.
7. Leave it for a dayLeave the cabbage at room temperature for about 24 hours so the brine can soak in properly and the beetroot can release its colour.
8. Let it mellow in the fridgeThen move it to the fridge. After 2 to 5 days the cabbage is ready; keep it chilled in its brine. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Tips and variations

If you'd rather skip the vinegar altogether, put the cabbage and beetroot in a cooled salt brine of about 50 g salt per litre and let them ferment for at least 10 days – you can even drink the brine afterwards. Fresh herbs like dill and coriander leaves are lovely layered in too, and you can leave out the carrot and stick to just cabbage and beetroot. Apple cider vinegar at 6% works in place of 9% white vinegar, and black peppercorns can stand in for the allspice. The same idea, by the way, turns green tomatoes with garlic, dill and celery leaves in salt brine into Mzhave Pomidori. Serve the cabbage well chilled, fished straight out of the brine with a fork.