2teaspoonssea saltor kosher salt, finely ground (see notes)
1cupfiltered water(see notes)
Instructions
Prep: Wash, trim and peel the carrots. Peel the garlic. With clean hands, use a sharp knife to cut the carrots into sticks and half of the garlic clove into thin slivers.
Pack: Place the garlic slivers and mustard seeds in the Mason jar. Then, hold the jar on its side and pack the carrot sticks into it on their ends to fill it as tightly as possible, making sure they are all about equal height. The carrots should be about as high as the largest rim on the Mason jar. When it's full, see if you can fit a few more in so that none of them can move (this will help them stay submerged while they ferment without needing a weight.)
Brine: Sprinkle the salt over the carrots, then slowly pour the water over everything until the carrots are completely submerged under the water, but leaving a little room at the top of the jar.
Ferment: Close the jar loosely with lid and place in an area that's out of the direct sunlight at room temperature; on a countertop or in a cabinet is fine. Open the jar after 4-5 days and take a taste. If you prefer a stronger flavor, keep fermenting and test again in another day or two.
Enjoy: Once you're happy with the taste, place the covered jar in the refrigerator to end the fermentation process, and enjoy!
Notes
Fermentation lids and weights: If you'd like, you can buy special fermentation lids that will help let carbon dioxide gas escape from your ferment. However, they are not essential and a regular loosely tightened lid will be fine to allow a small amount of gas to escape. You can also buy fermentation weights to help keep veggies submerged under water during the fermentation process. As long as your carrots are packed tightly, though, you shouldn't need an additional weight.Salt: Sea salt and kosher salt work best for fermenting carrots and other vegetables, but other non-iodized salts that are finely ground will work too.Water: Use filtered, non-chlorinated water when fermenting vegetables or other foods. If you don't have access to filtered water, you can boil tap water first and let it cool in order to remove the chlorine from the water.Temperature: The ideal temperature for fermentation to take place is around 65-70°F (room temperature), but 5° cooler or warmer is fine as well. Just keep in mind that if your room is on the cooler side, fermentation will be slower, and will be accelerated in a warmer room.Troubleshooting: It's perfectly normal and expected to see some cloudiness develop in your ferment, especially as it gets closer to being ready. If you see a white film develop on the top of the water (called kahm yeast), that's also quite normal and you can just skim it off when you see it. If you see mold, strange colors or odors that seem "off", however, it's best to discard and try again with a new batch.Storage: Fermented carrots will stay good for up to 3-6 months in the fridge. They do not stand up well to freezing.