Tomatoes pickled in lactic acid

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 ½ kg tomatoes
• 1 carrot(s)
• 1 onion(s)
• 3 ½ tbsp coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 cloves
• 3 grains of allspice
• 10 peppercorns
• ½ chili pepper(s)
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 ½ liters of water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 7 days; Total time approx. 7 days 30 minutes

Ukrainian cuisine, typical side dish to almost all potato dishes in autumn and winter

Pour 0.5 liters of hot water over the spices, cover, steep, and let cool. Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Wash the tomatoes and pierce each one twice with a toothpick. Layer everything in a 3-liter container. I use a large Tupperware container for this, but you can also use a rum pot or similar container. Dilute the spice infusion in a bowl with another liter of cold water, dissolve 3.5-4 tablespoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar in it. Pour this marinade over the tomatoes, weigh them down with a plate, and cover. Store in a relatively cool place for at least a week, e.g., on the tiled floor in the basement. You can also pour a dash of oil over the surface to preserve it. After 7-10 days, the tomatoes are fermented, ready to eat, and can be moved to an even cooler room or even the refrigerator. Tips: Please only use coarse sea salt for this and under no circumstances use fine iodized salt. Lactic acid fermentation doesn’t work with iodized salt. The spice mix can be modified with currant leaves, horseradish, garlic, etc. Antipasti tomatoes, spicy, sour, lactic acid pickled, long-lasting – a typical vegetable side dish to almost all potato dishes in fall/winter Ukrainian cuisine. How do you eat it? Either cut it in half and scoop it out like a kiwi, or “scrape it out” like a white sausage.