Lacto-Fermented Apple Salsa - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup water, non-chlorinated
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons whey (optional but useful,)
2 teaspoons salt, kosher
3 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced and then quartered
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation

.\tWhisk the water, honey, whey, apple cider vinegar and salt until the honey and salt are completely dissolved.
2.\tPeek and core the apples. Chop them into pieces or slivers between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
3.\tLightly grind the coriander and caraway seeds with a mortar and pestle.
4.\tCoarsely chop the raisings (you can skip this step if you like, but I think the texture of the salsa is better if you wake the time).
5.\tIn a large bowl, mix together the apples, raisins, onion slices and all of the spices. Pack the combined ingredients into a clean glass quart jar.
6.\tPour the brine over the other ingredients. The brine should completely cover the solid ingredients; if it doesn't, top off with a little filtered water.
7.\tPut a lid on the jar but loosely (you want the gases that develop during fermentation to be able to escape). Put a small plate under the jar to catch any overflow that might occur during fermentation.
8.\tLeave the jar of apple salsa out at room temperature for 2 days. During that time, take the lid off at least once a day and look for signs of fermentation such as bubbles on the surface. You'll see these especially if you press gently on the food. But don't just look for signs of fermentation; also get close with your nose and sniff for that clean but tangy pickled smell that means the safe, tasty and healthy transformation you're after is happening. Because of the spices, your fermenting fruit salsa will be more aromatic than plain vegetable ferments are.
9.\tOnce the apple salsa has been actively fermenting for at least 24 hours, transfer it to the refrigerator or a cool, dark cellar. You won't need the plate under the jar any longer, because the cold storage temperature will slow down fermentation so much that there shouldn't be any overflow. If you opt for the refrigerator, store the apple salsa on the top shelf of the main compartment where it is the coolest. This will help the apples keep their crunch longer. Wait at least a week longer before eating the salsa.