Beetroot kvass
A ruby, almost earthy drink, sipped in small mouthfuls. Eastern Europe made it its table-side potion.
Beetroot kvass is a traditional lacto-fermented drink of Eastern Europe and Russia. More accessible than its black-bread cousin, it is simply made with raw beetroot, water and salt. At the end of the fermentation, you get a deep red juice, slightly sour and fizzy, rich in antioxidant pigments (betanin).
Ingredients
- Raw red beetroot2 medium beetroots (approx. 500 g)
organic if possible, skin scrubbed with a brush, not peeled
- Spring or filtered water1.5 L
unchlorinated, imperatively
- Unrefined sea salt30 g (3 level tbsp)
- Garlic (optional)1 crushed clove
adds a warm note and slightly speeds the fermentation
- Caraway or cumin seeds (optional)1 tsp
Polish tradition
Equipment
- •1 glass jar of 2 L with a mechanical seal or a wide jar with a lid
- •1 fermentation weight or a clean plate to keep the pieces submerged
Steps
- 1
Prepare the beetroots
Scrub the beetroots carefully under cold water. Do not peel them, the lactic bacteria live on the skin and the fermentation needs them. Cut them into large 2-3 cm cubes (do not grate: the fermentation would be too fast and give an alcoholic taste).
10 min
- 2
Prepare the brine
Dissolve the salt in cold water, stirring. The brine should taste clearly salty, it is this concentration that selects the good bacteria.
3 min
- 3
Assemble the jar
Place the beetroot cubes in the jar. Add the crushed garlic and the seeds if using. Pour in the brine to 2 cm below the rim. Place a weight to keep the beetroots submerged under the liquid. Close.
5 min
- 4
Ferment at room temperature
Leave at room temperature (18-22 °C), away from direct light, on a plate (intense red juice may overflow, beware of white tablecloths). You will see the brine take on a deep red colour from the 2nd day, then bubbles appear. After 5 to 7 days, the liquid is slightly sour, fizzy: it's ready.
5 to 7 days
- 5
Strain and store
Strain into a clean bottle. Place cool, the fermentation continues very slowly. You can put the beetroot pieces back into a second batch of brine (the 2nd kvass will be less powerful but still excellent), or eat them in a salad.
Storage
3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, in a closed bottle.
How to use it
A small glass (50-100 ml) in the morning on an empty stomach or before meals, in a 3-week course. An earthy, sour taste, to introduce gradually if you're not used to it.
Health properties
- Living lactic ferments
- Betanin and betalains (red pigments of the beetroot)
- Natural nitrates of the beetroot (dietary form), studied for their effects on blood pressure and physical performance
- Folic acid, iron, potassium, magnesium
These preparations belong to cooking and herbal tradition: they nourish and support, do not “cure” anything and replace no treatment. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before prolonged use, if under treatment, pregnant or breastfeeding, or for a child. Follow the stated storage precautions strictly.
Precautions
People with high blood pressure on treatment: beetroot may potentiate the hypotensive effect, monitor. Oxalate stones: beetroot is rich in oxalates, to avoid in a prolonged course. A white film (kahm yeast) on the surface = harmless but to remove; coloured mould = discard. Urine and stools may take on a pink tinge during the course, that's normal (beeturia), harmless.
Sources & tradition
- · Ukrainian tradition (буряковий квас, buryakovyj kvas) and Polish (kwas buraczany / ćwikła)
- · Sandor Katz, The Art of Fermentation (2012)
- · Sally Fallon Morell, Nourishing Traditions (1999)