Hapankaali

Ingredients

Sauerkraut

• 3 kgwhite cabbage, shredded fine
• 60 gcoarse non-iodised salt — 2% of the cabbage weight
• 1 tbspcaraway seed

Soup

• 800 gof the finished sauerkraut, drained
• 800 gpork ribs or a smoked hock
• 1onion, chopped
• 2carrots, sliced
• 1 tbspblack peppercorns
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tbsptreacle or dark syrup
• 1.5 litreswater
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Shred the cabbage finely, weigh it, and take 2% of that weight in salt. Toss together with the caraway.
2. Leave 30 minutes, then work it hard by the handful for ten minutes until it collapses and sits in its own liquid.
3. Pack it into the crock, pressing each handful down so the liquid rises above the cabbage, and weight it down. Ferment at cool room temperature for three to four weeks, skimming any film off the surface.
4. For the soup: brown the pork in a heavy pot, then add the onion and carrot and cook until softened.
5. Add the drained sauerkraut, peppercorns, bay, treacle and water. The treacle is not a modern addition — the dark sweetness against the sour cabbage is what makes hapankaalikeitto Finnish rather than simply a sauerkraut soup.
6. Cover and simmer very gently for at least an hour and a half, until the pork falls off the bone and the cabbage has gone soft and mellow. Long slow cooking is what turns aggressive sauerkraut into something rounded.
7. Season with salt and pepper and serve with rye bread. Like most such soups it is better the next day.

Technique

• Two percent by weight, measured. Salt by eye gives a crock that is either too salty to ferment or too weak to protect itself.
• Do not rush the simmer. An hour and a half is the minimum and two is better.
• Taste before salting the soup. Sauerkraut and smoked pork both bring plenty.

Substitutions

• Bought sauerkraut, drained, if you want the soup without the month’s wait.
• Brown sugar or molasses for the treacle.

Variations

• The Karelian version is often made with beef or mutton.
• Some households add a whole peeled potato to each bowl.

History

A Finnish and Karelian preserve; the classic hapankaalikeitto simmers it slowly with pork ribs.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hapankaali?

Hapankaali is a fermented & pickled from Finland: salt-fermented cabbage stewed with pork through the winter. A Finnish and Karelian preserve; the classic hapankaalikeitto simmers it slowly with pork ribs.

How long does Hapankaali take to make?

Hapankaali takes 40 min plus 4 weeks fermenting of preparation and 2 hours of cooking. The recipe makes fills a 5-litre crock, then serves 6. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Hapankaali?

Yes, within limits. Bought sauerkraut, drained, if you want the soup without the month’s wait. Brown sugar or molasses for the treacle.

What is the most important thing to get right in Hapankaali?

Add the drained sauerkraut, peppercorns, bay, treacle and water. The treacle is not a modern addition — the dark sweetness against the sour cabbage is what makes hapankaalikeitto Finnish rather than simply a sauerkraut soup.