Fire Cider (immune booster and flu fighter!!)
Ingredients
- 24 oz. raw apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup garlic minced
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 1/2 cup fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 1/2 cup horseradish peeled and grated
- 2 pieces turmeric root peeled and grated, OR 2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 hot peppers (jalepeño, habanero, etc., minced)
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- raw honey to taste (OPTIONAL)
Optional Seasonal Additions:
- Several sprigs of fresh organic rosemary, thyme or oregano
- rosehips
- star anise
- schisandra berries
- astragalus
- parsley
- burdock root
- black peppercorns
- Fresh orange, grapefruit, or lime juice and peels
Instructions
- Using a peeler and a food processor, peel and grate all the roots.
- Mince the garlic, onions and hot peppers, then zest and squeeze the lemon. (Gloves will be handy for handling the peppers.)
- Combine all the ingredients in a ceramic or glass bowl, except for the vinegar and honey, and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to a one-quart Mason jar. Hold your face away from the jar as you fill it.
- Pour in apple cider vinegar until you fill it to the top.
- Use a piece of parchment paper under the jar lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or better yet, use a BPA-free plastic lid made for Mason jars.
- Shake well!
- Store in a dark, cool place for one month and shake daily.
- After one month, use cheesecloth or a nut milk bag to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquid as you can from the pulp.
- You can use the tonic straight or, if you prefer, add 1/4 cup of honey and stir until incorporated to make cider. Taste your cider and add another 1/4 cup of honey until you reach the desired sweetness.
- Use the rest of the dry mixture as seasoning when cooking.
Notes
Note: Turmeric stains everything, the peppers are hot, and horseradish root is strong enough to clear not just your sinuses, but the whole room. You may want to wear a mask to protect from horseradish fumes, and gloves to keep your hands clean and cool.
