This recipe is from the grandmother of a friend of mine from Ukraine and is made in a way which is new for me – with a bit of sugar, warm brine and no lid for the first few days. I have also tried leaving it a little longer at room temperature (lid on after three days though), until the colour of the cabbage as become a beautiful pink before popping it in the fridge. Its really delicious!

For a 3 liter jar:

3 small beetroots 2 cm horseradish (or two thin roots) 2kg white or savoy cabbage 1 head of garlic 1 liter water

Peel and coarsley chop the beetroot, garlic and horseradish. Thickly slice the cabbage and pack it into the jar, alternating it with the seasoning and beets. Warm the water a bit (if its chlorinated, bring to the boil and let it cool), dissolve the salt and sugar in the water and when it is a bit warmer than body temperature, pour it over the cabbage. Put a weight on the cabbage in the form of a stone or small plate and cover the opening with a cloth or gauze. Leave in a warm spot for three days. Then put the lid on and move it to the fridge, and enjoy!