Spicy fermented cabbage and carrot slaw (vegan!)

So, this recipe comes out a little bit like kimchi, but it's vegan (which kimchi is usually not!). It's dead easy, and hubby used it at his restaurant as a garnish for a plate of taquitos. At home we use it in salads, or by itself as a side. It's a great replacement for sauerkraut, and you can make it as spicy or mild as you like. We really wanted to take the opportunity to show how to innoculate a new fermented product with something that was currently fermenting.

The vegetable/salt ratio in this is important. Hubby has put some math in the recipe so that you can see exactly what the proportions are supposed to be. You have a little bit of wiggle room, but if you use too much salt, it will inhibit the lactobacilli. Too little salt and it may not inhibit the growth of undesirable microbes in your fermenting product! Also, remember not to clamp the lid on too tight while it's in the initial fermenting stage on your counter, because it can build up enough gas to break a jar!