Fermented Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

• 4 medium tomatoes, diced (do not use canned)
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 5-6 Thai green chilies or Serrano chilies, chopped fine (adjust based on how spicy you like it, or alternately use 1/2 medium bell pepper diced)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped fine
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp raw organic apple cider vinegar (use one with live mother cultures like Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method:

• In a tall bottle, combine the tomato, red onion, garlic, cilantro, green chilies (or bell pepper), salt, and brown sugar
• Add the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, close with a lid and shake
• Let sit at room temperature for 3 days. Even day give the bottle a good shake or stir well with a spoon
• After 3 days, add the cumin powder, coriander powder and black pepper. Stir well and taste the salsa. If it has fermented to your liking, then refrigerate immediately and use when needed. If not, leave it at room temperature for up to 3 more days
• Refrigerate and enjoy

Notes on the salsa:

• Make sure the cutting board, and knife are clean and dry before starting. Also wash all the vegetables you are using and dry with a clean kitchen towel before chopping.
• Check the salsa every day. If you see mold forming on top, discard and start again, maybe using a bit more salt. This did not happen to me but is a possibility.
• As I noted in an earlier post, a Serrated Tomato Knife makes life a lot easier when dicing tomatoes
• Since V and I like it spicy, I used spicy Thai green chilies but feel free to omit altogether and just use bell pepper or jalapeno pepper for a milder taste
• The fermentation produces a lot of delicious pungent liquid which can be strained and used in other recipes