Thai-Style Fire Cider - An Easy DIY Immunity Tonic

When you went a little nuts planting peppers in the spring, then fall comes around and you still have pounds of peppers, what do you do? Make Fire Cider! 

Fire Cider is an infusion of spicy, warming, and immune-boosting vegetables and herbs fermented in apple cider vinegar. Technically an oxymel - an herbal remedy made with vinegar and honey - the name, “Fire Cider” and the recipe was created by Rosemary Gladstar, a beloved and highly regarded herbalist, in the 1970s. 

Rosemary’s original recipe calls for horseradish, ginger, garlic, onions, and cayenne pepper, macerated (or soaked) in apple-cider vinegar for about four weeks. Then, the veggies are strained off and honey is added to sweeten all of that spice.

How to Drink Fire Cider

We keep a batch of fire cider brewing throughout the winter. Some folks like to take a shot or two every day, others save it for when they aren’t feeling very well. It also blends well with tea and makes an amazing vinaigrette. More than just an herbal remedy, Fire Cider is a super food that stimulates your digestive and circulatory systems as well as boosting immunity.

Thai-Style Fire Cider

At LeeHouse, Thai food is one of our favorite cuisines. The complex flavors in Thai cooking create the ultimate umami of sweet, spicy, salty, and sour. And, even though Darren and I have different go-to’s from the Thai menu, we always agree on Tom Ka Soup. So when I stumbled across this recipe for Tom Ka Fire Cider on Mountain Rose Herbs, I had to give it a try.

Our Thai-Style Fire Cider Recipe

Here’s how we adapted the recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs. This will fill a quart mason jar. This is a folk recipe, so you can adapt to suit your tastes, ingredients on hand, or mood for the day. Just don’t skimp on the garlic, galangal, peppers, or vinegar!

• 1 large red onion, diced
• 10 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup galangal root, chopped
• ⅛ cup fresh ginger, chopped
• ⅛ cup fresh turmeric root
• 3 thai volcano peppers
• 1 jalapeños
• 2 limes, sliced
• 1 stalk fresh, organic lemongrass, bruised and diced
• 1/4 cup fresh, organic cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup of chopped maitake mushrooms
• ½ cup of dried reishi mushrooms
• Organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (enough to fill your jar)
• 1/4 cup honey, or to taste
• 1/4 cup of tamari
• Parchment paper

Directions

1. Chop the first 12 ingredients, and place them in a clean mason jar.
2. Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.
3. Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily.
4. After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.
5. Add the honey. Start with about ¼ cup, and add more to suit your tastes.Stir until incorporated.
6. Add the tamari.
7. Pour a shot glass full. If you are feeling fancy, add a splash of coconut milk for that true Tom Ka Flavor.
8. Enjoy!