It would seem how you can further improve the recipe for sauerkraut or pickled cabbage, if in Russia from time immemorial this delicious salad appetizer has been prepared and no other nation can boast of the same reverent attitude towards this vegetable. But it turns out that it can also be useful to adopt the experience of other peoples. Namely, the Georgians were the first to come up with the idea of adding beets when pickling cabbage. And the result was a dish, the beauty of which is difficult to come up with. And thanks to the use of traditional Georgian herbs and hot peppers, the taste of cabbage prepared according to this recipe can conquer any lover of spicy snacks for a long time.
Classic recipe for making marinated cabbage with beets in Georgian, or in Gurian, as it is sometimes called, does not involve the use of vinegar. Fermentation occurs as naturally as possible, but lasts quite a long time, at least 5-7 days. For those who would like to enjoy this delicacy quickly, there is another recipe using vinegar - this article contains both of these most popular options.
Time-tested classic
If we talk about the main components, then in the classic version there are not so many of them.
The main necessary components that you need to find:
- White cabbage – 3 kg;
- Beetroot – 1.5 kg;
- Leaf celery – 1.5 -2 bunches;
- Garlic – 2 heads;
- Hot pepper – 1-4 pods;
- Water -2.5 liters;
- Salt – 3 tablespoons.
Additional Ingredients:
- Granulated sugar – 1 tablespoon;
- Allspice – 5-6 peas;
- Bay leaf – 3-4 pieces;
- Cilantro – 1 bunch;
- Coriander – 1-2 teaspoons of seeds;
- Parsley – 1 bunch;
- Basil – 1 bunch.
When choosing cabbage, focus your attention on small, strong heads of cabbage. If you use large heads of cabbage, there is a high chance that they will fall apart when you pickle them. And the additional aesthetic component of this recipe consists of small, dense pieces of cabbage. You need to choose beets that are ripe, juicy, and show off their color well. Garlic can be any kind, but without visible damage.
Heads of cabbage are cut into 6-8 pieces to make neat, dense pieces. It is best to cut the beets into thin slices using a vegetable peeler. Then you can enjoy beets just like cabbage itself - they turn out so tasty in the finished dish. Use hot pepper to your taste - if you are not a big fan of spicy dishes, then just take one pod. Cut the pepper into strips or thin rings. The garlic should not be chopped too much. After clearing the cloves of the outer husk, cut each clove into 2-4 parts.
The celery does not need to be chopped, but only divided into branches.
It is better to prepare the brine for pouring in advance, since the recipe requires it to be used cold. Dissolve the salt in water, heat it and then cool it.
The amount of vegetables specified in the recipe yields about 6 liters of the finished dish. Based on this, prepare an enamel container of a suitable size and begin laying sliced vegetables in it in layers. First, pieces of cabbage are placed, they are covered with slices of beets, then they are sprinkled with pieces of garlic and hot pepper, and finally a couple of celery sprigs are placed. This sequence is repeated as many times as you have enough prepared vegetables. There must be a layer of beets at the very top.
If the brine has cooled, carefully pour it over the layered vegetables, lightly pressing them on top so that they are completely immersed in the brine. Then close the pan with a lid and leave in normal room conditions for 3 days. After the allotted time, open the lid and taste the brine. If desired, you can add more salt to the top of the pan and stir it a little. On the fifth day, you can taste the cabbage and other vegetables and remove the pan with it to a cooler place.
But as a rule, pickled cabbage fully gains its taste and aroma after another 2 days. This product can be stored for up to several months in the refrigerator.
Quick Cooking Recipe
Of course, in cabbage prepared according to the previous recipe, all the vitamins and other beneficial substances found in the vegetables and herbs used for pickling are maximally preserved and even increased.But sometimes there are situations when you need to cook Georgian cabbage with beets quickly, and then the recipe below comes to the rescue.
It is important to maintain only the exact proportions of the content of cabbage and beets; for 3 kg of cabbage, take 1.5 kg of beets. You can experiment with other vegetables and herbs, but according to the recipe, their composition should be as follows:
- Garlic – 2 heads;
- Celery – 2 bunches;
- Cilantro, Parsley - 1 bunch each;
- Hot red pepper – 2 pods;
- Carrots – 0.5 kg;
- Sweet pepper – 0.5 kg.
All vegetables are selected and cut in exactly the same way as in the previous version. It is best to grate the carrots on a Korean grater, and coarsely chop the greens.
The main difference will be in the preparation of the marinade. According to the recipe, 100 g of salt, 60 g of sugar, half a teaspoon of coriander seeds, several allspice peas, as well as black pepper and another 3-4 bay leaves are added to 2.5 liters of water. Everything is heated to a boil, removed from the heat and 2-3 tablespoons of apple or wine vinegar are added to the marinade.
The marinade can be cooled somewhat and poured over layered vegetables and herbs. The cabbage prepared in this way is kept in a warm room for a day and then placed in a cool place. After a day, you can try cabbage with beets in Georgian style, and in 2-3 days it will be completely ready.
Cabbage prepared according to these recipes must be stored in the marinade, so that it completely covers it, in a cool place.Although, as practice shows, such cabbage does not last long and even significant quantities are eaten very quickly.
