Foot and Fire

A healthy gut is the foundation of good health. If one has a healthy gut, one can absorb vitamin and minerals and utilize them to fuel the body. Conversely, an unhealthy gut cause domino effect on health causing one issue and leading to another. Of course, many researches show us that sugar and seed oils cause inflammation while fibers from vegetables and fruits can keep us from glucose spikes. Meanwhile, fermented vegetables are twin armors which can give us fiber and healthy bacteria in our gut.  Lacto-fermentation is easy to make at home and can be done to a lot of vegetables. I live sauerkraut because of its mild tangy taste, I love kimchi because of its spiciness that gives a kick to meals and carrots are wobderful when they're slender as compared to bulky ones favored for cooking as they're peeled in one go for being large or extra large. Of course, one can use the large ones to ferment. Slender ones are tasty and one carrot is one serving of side dish for me....

Fermented vegetable gained popularity these days because it benefits the digestive system as well as immunity as it is rich in vitamin c and phytochemicals. Try making yours... Turnips, cut into strips Cucumber, cut into strips Mustard leaves, separate leaves Salt Apple, grated Chili pepper powder In a big bowl, add cut turnips, cucumber and mustard leaves. Massage with salt. Leave overnight with cover. Next day, drain mixture. Add grated apples and chili powder. Cover and let stay in room temperature. On the third day, sourness develop. Place in fridge to slow fermentation. 

8 heads of Chinese cabbage, halved and washed rock salt brown sugar chili powder or whatever preserved chili available ginger, chopped garlic, chopped bottled vinegared onion (optional) bottled vinegared cucumber (optional) Dry the washed halved cabbage head.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl starting from chili powder. Rub layer after layers of leaves with salt and brown sugar and then mixture until done. Arrange in a plastic container and let stand for 24 hours in a dry cool place. The next day, transfer in glass container and discard remaining water. Let stand again for another day or two.  The Kimchi is done when the cabbage and the spices are already fermented. Refrigerate to lengthen shelf life. Enjoy as appetizer. (When I made my first kimchi out of native pechay, I first rubbed the salt and let the pechay spurt its water within  24 hours before adding spices. I suggest same thing with this kind too but at any rate, this shortcut method is a success. Dont ...

By GERLIE M. UY 1-2 Tbsp sesame oil 2 cloves minced garlic  1 medium white onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped stalk (white part) of the native pechay   2 Tbsp sesame seeds 300g boiled rice 1 Tbsp butter (optional) seasalt and pepper to taste 2 fried scrambled eggs, chopped. 1 cup chopped leaves of native pechay Saute garli and onion in sesame oil. Add the chopped stalks and stirfry until tender. Add sesame seeds and stirfry until fragrant or brownish in color. add the boiled rice, stir. Add the butter and the chopped eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cook and mix well then add the leaves. Let cook until wilted. Ready to serve.