Sauerkraut is a German dish of pickled cabbage . It is made by placing chopped, shredded, or thinly sliced cabbage in an airtight container with salt and storing it at a cool temperature. Bacteria on the cabbage produce acid by means of fermentation , a breaking down of chemicals in the cabbage. Fermentation preserves the cabbage by creating an environment too acidic for the growth of harmful bacteria.
Cabbage has been widely grown in Europe and other regions around the Mediterranean Sea since ancient times. Similar vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, were grown in East Asia. Cabbage became a staple ingredient in many national and regional cuisines, especially in northern climates. In such areas, summers are short and cool, and fresh vegetables were once scarce during the long winter months. Pickling provided an important means of preserving food for the winter.
Sauerkraut is strongly associated with Germanic cuisine. However, versions of pickled cabbage are popular around the world. They include choucroute in France, kimchi in Korea, kiszona kapusta in Poland, and suan cai in China.
Sauerkraut is eaten both hot and cold. It is eaten on its own as a side dish or salad; as a stuffing for dumplings and buns; as a major ingredient in soups and stews; and as a condiment for sausages and sandwiches. Sauerkraut has a tangy or sharp flavor. Its name means sour cabbage in German. Some recipes call for contrasting sweet or spicy ingredients, such as apples, beets, caraway seeds, cranberries, juniper berries, peppers, or shredded carrots. In Germanic and Slavic cuisines, pickled cabbage is often served with pork dishes and potatoes.
