If You Don't Like Raw Carrots, A Kimchi Twist Might Change Your Mind

Carrots are ubiquitous in the U.S., and we eat a lot of them — 8.4 pounds per person each year, per Statista! But if the thought of another raw carrot stick in your lunch has you yawning, there's a way to make them more exciting. Take a little inspiration from the East Asian staple, Korean kimchi, but switch the cabbage for carrots.

You can use our classic homemade kimchi recipe as a starting point. There's no cooking required since the fermentation process will do the work for you. Instead, just grate the carrots and add your water, aromatics, fish sauce, salt, spices, and sugar. Then seal the mixture in a Mason jar and let nature do its work. 

After three days, when the flavor should start to change, you'll notice a definite sourness that may remind you of briny olives and dills, but there's a difference between fermented and pickled foods. While pickling preserves food with vinegar, kimchi owes its acidity to natural bacteria — the same agent responsible for the tanginess of yogurt and sourdough bread. That changes plain Jane raw carrots into a tantalizing dish with a crave-able kick.

The zinginess of this recipe lends itself to all kinds of dishes. Look beyond rice and stews, trying it on sandwiches or tossed over fried eggs. It's also interesting in grain bowls or with savory pancakes and crepes. And of course, you can eat it all by itself.

As tasty as it sounds, some of you may be wondering about leaving a recipe out on the counter for several days. However, there's no need to worry. This process has been time-tested since at least 300 BCE when Chinese people preserved vegetables in this way. From a scientific standpoint, the pH level of fermented foods is typically around 3.5, while harmful bacteria can grow in a pH range of 4.6 to 7.0. That's why fermented foods are considered food-safe — though you'll still want to refrigerate them when they're done to help them last longer and stay crunchier. Before you know it, they'll be gone and it'll be time to mix up another batch.