Ingredients
Turnip
- 4 kgwhite turnip or swede, peeled
- 80 gcoarse non-iodised salt — 2% of the turnip weight
Aromatics
- 1 tbspcaraway seed
- 1 tbspblack peppercorns
- 3bay leaves
- 1small handful maize kernels
Equipment
- a scrubbed crock or food-grade bucket
- a clean weight
- cooled boiled water, to top up if needed
Directions
- Shred the peeled turnip on the coarse side of a grater or on a kraut cutter — long thin strands rather than chunks, so they pack down and release their liquid.
- Weigh the shredded turnip and take 2% of that weight in salt. Toss thoroughly and leave for 30 minutes.
- Now work it hard with your hands for five to ten minutes, squeezing by the handful, until it is limp and swimming in its own liquid. This is the whole method: turnip has less water than cabbage and will not brine itself unless you force it.
- Pack it into the crock in layers with the caraway, peppercorns, bay and maize, pressing each layer down firmly with a fist so the liquid rises above it.
- Weight it down. If the liquid has not covered everything after a few hours, top up with cooled boiled water until it sits 3 cm below the surface.
- Ferment somewhere cool, 15 to 18°C (59 to 64°F), for four to six weeks. It will bubble and smell strongly sulphurous in the first fortnight, which is normal for turnip and passes.
- It is ready when it is sharply sour and still firm. Move it somewhere cold. Rinse before cooking and stew with pork ribs and beans.
Technique
- Squeeze it properly. Every failed batch of kisela repa is one that was packed dry and never made enough brine.
- The smell in the first two weeks is genuinely unpleasant and is not a sign anything is wrong. It settles.
- Rinse before cooking. Unrinsed it makes a stew far too sour and salty.
Substitutions
- Kohlrabi in place of turnip, which ferments the same way.
- A splash of brine from a working sauerkraut crock to get it started faster.
Variations
- The Slovenian kisla repa is the same preserve and the base of ričet there too.
- Some households ferment turnip and cabbage together in one crock.
History
A continental Croatian winter store made alongside sauerkraut, the base of the stew known as ričet in the north.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kisela repa?
Kisela repa is a fermented & pickled from Croatia: shredded turnip fermented sour in barrels, cooked with pork and beans. A continental Croatian winter store made alongside sauerkraut, the base of the stew known as ričet in the north.
How long does Kisela repa take to make?
Kisela repa takes 40 min plus 4 to 6 weeks fermenting of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes fills a 5-litre crock. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Kisela repa?
Yes, within limits. Kohlrabi in place of turnip, which ferments the same way. A splash of brine from a working sauerkraut crock to get it started faster.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kisela repa?
Shred the peeled turnip on the coarse side of a grater or on a kraut cutter — long thin strands rather than chunks, so they pack down and release their liquid.
