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Chickpea and Cucumber Summer Salad with Fermented Carrots

I’ve written recipes for a few different fermented cookbook projects this year. Most of the recipes involve fermenting fruits and vegetables in a salt water brine, a process known as lacto-fermentation.
To make the fermented carrots for this recipe, simply submerge the carrots in a salt water brine in a small glass jar with a lid, and allow the carrots to sit at room temperature and ferment in the liquid for roughly one week—make sure to open the jars each day to release any built-up gas.
The fermented carrots are packed with probiotics, and work wonderfully in salads such as this chickpea and cucumber summer salad!

Ingredients

  • 3 carrots (peeled and cut into quarters)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1 can (14 oz cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cucumber (peeled and seeds removed, flesh cut medium dice)
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ red onion (cut small dice)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 20 chives (finely sliced)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • The zest of 1 lime
  • The juice of 1 lime
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions 

  • Peel and cut the carrots into quarters.
  • Add the cut carrots to a small mason jar.
  • Cover the carrots with a mixture of one Tablespoon of Kosher salt and 2 cups of water.
  • Keep the carrots submerged in the liquid, and cover with lid.
  • Check on the contents each day and open the jar, to allow any built-up gas to escape.
  • After roughly one week, transfer your fermented carrots to the fridge, and enjoy whenever.
  • When you are ready to make your salad, finely-slice the carrots.
  • Mix the carrots with the rinsed and drained chickpeas, along with the diced cucumber.
  • Add some Kosher salt, diced red onion, fresh parsley, and sliced chives.
  • Add some olive oil, along with some smoked paprika, dried oregano, lime zest, and lime juice.
  • Taste the mixture, and add more Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, if desired.

Notes

You can make this before serving, and you can even serve it cold. Add some healthy cooked protein on top to make this into an entire meal!