Gundru is a traditional fermented food that has it’s origins in Nepal. By far one of the most amazing vegetable ferments, it requires no salt or brine, just the juicy dark leaves of any member of the brassica family (kale, turnip, rutabaga, mustard etc.). One simply harvests leaves, mashes them up, and then stuffs them densely into a container until it is full and they are submerged in their own juices. The gundru is then left for at least a month, during which lactobacilli proliferate and transform it into an enzyme enhanced, easily digested delicacy, as well as preserving it!.

LET’S DO THIS!

To make gundru happen one begins by harvesting some big leaves – I have only done this with members of the brassica family, though I have heard of folks using beet and chard greens. I would’nt try it with any really tender greens (lettuce, chickweed etc), I suspect they would just turn to mush. If you are using kale (that’s what I usually have around), you’ll probably notice the light powder that coats the leaves – this is yeast, just like the light covering of yeast on grapes. It will help activate the fermentation – don’t wash it off. The next step is optional – let the kale wilt in the sun. I don’t fully understand what the purpose of this step is; it could be partially ceremonial (welcoming sun medicine into the greens?), it could begin breaking down cell walls to make the next steps easier. Make sure to just let the kale wilt, not dry out, you need those juices. You could skip this step, I have and it still worked.

Now you need to crush and smush the kale good to really get the juices flowing – a rolling pin (or wine bottle, jar etc.) on a board work for this – use some force. Try not to lose the juices. When the kale has been crushed, you pack it into a jar as tight as possible. Do this bit by bit – crush some kale, stuff it into the jar and tamp it in there really well with a bottle, peice of wood, whatever will fit in there. Again, use some force, you might be surprised how much kale can fit into a small jar.

Gundru station in action - I use a peice of alder to tamp/cram the crushed kale into jars

After a while, dark green juice should cover the kale when you push down with your tool – by the time your jar is almost full you won’t be able to push down without juices overflowing, don’t let them out! When you are at this point, add enough smushed greens so that when you put a lid on, the juices come right to the top.

Now put your gundru some place warm, or warm and sunny, and let it sit at least 3 weeks. Put something under it (a plate etc), it has a tendency to bubble and ooze juices out as it ferments. When you eventually can’t wait any longer, or remember you forgot about it, open it up – it should smell and taste sharp and tangy, really good. It can be eaten fresh or dried in the sun – when it gets crispy dry it taste like ketchup flavored potato chips (in the very best way possible). Dried, it can be used as an enzyme rich green condiment or snack. It is really good fresh though. It also stores for quite long if you don’t open it – we’ve had gundru stored for over a year, through a hot summer and frozen winter – it was totally delicious (and didn’t make us sick)! I don’t open a jar of gundru and then plan to store it for another couple months, it seems to need to be eaten or dried within a few or so of opening (refrigeration might change that).

Sometimes batches don’t get that nice sharp acid flavor, so make smaller batches, not big gallon jars of gundru. That way if a batch doesn’t turn out it won’t break yr heart. Rinse yr equipment and jar with boiling hot water if you can – it will reduce competing bacteria. Greens from grocery stores have never worked for me – that special yeast is usually gone, they have been kicking around for a long time since harvest, and may be irradiated, washed with bleach or chlorinated water. If you don’t have a direct source of such greens, find some living plants near you or help some grow, they are good friends to have around.

Freshly packed gundru, ready to be aged

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