01/24/2026
Let's make a fermented ginger paste with turmeric as a delicious addition.
Ingredients
10.5 oz ginger root
3.5 oz of fresh turmeric
1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
2.5% sea salt, see notes for instructions on how to use the folk method
Method
1) Process the ginger & fresh turmeric to your preference using a blender, food processor, mortar & pestle or grater.
2) Place the ginger & turmeric mash in a clean glass bowl & weigh it out to see how much you have, adding 2.5% salt to the bowl
Formula: _____ g of ginger mash X 0.025 = ______ g of salt required
3) Add the salt overtop of the ginger mash & mix thoroughly to start to coax the water out of the mash. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
4) Place the funnel in the storage jar & add the ginger mash. Using a pickle packer or wooden spoon, pack the mash tightly into the jar. Fill the jar within 1 inch of the top. Add more filtered water if required.
5) Weigh down the ginger mash so it stays submerged under the brine. Get creative if you don’t have a fermentation weight or spring available. Keep a few slices of ginger that you can put over top of the mash to keep it submerged.
6) Seal the jar. If using a regular mason jar lid, don’t tighten it up too much so you can allow the gasses to escape.
7) Place the jar in a cool, dark spot. Consider placing a plate underneath the jar in case anything overflows. Allow to ferment for 3 weeks
😎 Burp the jar daily if using a regular mason jar lid. Do this by gently loosening the lid, but not removing it completely. I would suggest doing this over the sink as some of the liquid might escape.
9) After 3 weeks, using your senses determine if it’s done or not
10) Once done, remove the weight & replace the lid to a regular one (if using an air lock) & place in the refrigerator to slow down fermentation
Storage:
Refrigerator or root cellar for 1 year, as long as there are no signs of spoilage
Notes & Suggestions
- Organic ingredients work best as pesticides can interfere with the fermentation process
- If you are following the folk method use 1.5-2 teaspoons of salt per pint.
- If you notice your brine is cloudy, that’s a really good sign that the microbial activity is healthy.
- If the ambient temperature in your room is over 85F for a prolonged period of time adjust the salt to 3%
- If you notice a greyish or white film on top of the ferment, that’s Kham yeast. It’s harmless but may interfere with flavor so skim any off that may be present.
- Play around with different herbs & spices to add different flavors to the ferment
- If you don’t have a fermentation weight you will need to find a way to keep everything submerged in the brine. Possible things you could use: smaller plastic mason jar lid, clean glass jar, food safe stone, Ziplock bag of water, cabbage leaf, large piece of ginger you can put over top.
- If you don’t have an air lock lid, use a 2 piece mason jar lid & don’t tighten it too much. If you notice the lid start to bulge, loosen the band to allow the pressure to escape then tighten it up again, don’t remove the lid if possible.
