Naturally Fermented Lectin-Free Pickles

Naturally fermented products are the best for our gut microbiome because they contain naturally occurring probiotics. Probiotics are not only important for our guts but mainly to promote a healthy immune system!

Foods rich in natural probiotics:

Sauerkraut
Fermented pickles
Kimchi
Kefir
Yogurt
Kombucha

I have wanted to make fermented pickles for a long time but wasn’t sure how they would taste if I got rid of the nasty lectins in the seeds and skin of the cucumbers. Then I learned a trick to add tannin-containing ingredients that will make them nice and crunchy. You probably wonder what is the ingredient? Well, you can either use grape leaves, which I found difficult to find where I live or use a leached black tea teabag which will do the trick.

Naturally Fermented Lectin-Free Pickles

Ingredients

For 1 Mason Jar

Mason Jar
Paper towel or breathable cloth
Rubber band
3-4 cucumbers, may be more or less, depending on the size
3 cloves of garlic, halved
Dill
Mustard Seeds
A leached black tea teabag
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
2 cups of warm water

Directions

Peel and deseed the cucumbers, cut them lengthwise.
Alternate adding the cucumbers, garlic, dill, and mustard seeds into the jar.
Make room in the center for the teabag or grape leaf.
Continue adding the cucumbers and other ingredients until you fill the jar nearly to the top. The cucumbers should be very tight together.
Dissolve salt in warm water and pour it over the cucumbers, so they are completely covered.
Cover the jar with a paper towel or cloth and place the rubber band around the rim of the mason jar.
Leave the jar at room temperature and wait for about two days until the pickles are ready to eat. The warmer the temperature the sooner they will be ready. If you don’t like the taste of them in two days, leave them at room temperature for a little longer and keep tasting them until you are happy with the flavor.
When ready, store them in the fridge. Enjoy!