Kimchi (Korean)

Posted byNoriePosted inAppetizers, Pickles, Ferments, Complements, Recipe, Side dishesTags:,

Ingredients:

  • 1 large Napa cabbage
  • 1 cup daikon radish (julienned fine or matchsticks) or carrots in lieu of radish
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 1 inch long fat ginger root
  • 5 to 7 cloves garlic or 2 TBS minced garlic in a jar
  • 2 TBS Fish sauce (Patis)
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 TBS salted Korean shrimp (optional)
  • ¼ cup Gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder, course ground) (Must be the Korean pepper, no substitute)
  • 1 TBS Mochico Rice flour (glutinous rice)
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup course salt (Kosher or sea salt)

Procedure:

Cut the Napa cabbage lengthwise in fourths.  Trim off the core at the bottom then put in a large bowl or basin in layers. Sprinkle each leaf layer generously with the course salt using the 1 cup salt.  Let stand for about 30 minutes or so until the stem is pliable and doesn’t snap when bent against the grain.

Add water to top and leave for another 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the water then rinse and squeeze most of the liquid.  Cut them crosswise to about 2″ in length. Let drain in a colander while you prepare the seasoning.

Put 1 TBS rice flour (Mochico) in a sauce pan with ½ cup water and boil, stirring until it is thickened and semi-transparent.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Put the garlic, peeled ginger root, thickened rice starch solution, fish sauce, red pepper powder, salted shrimp if using, sugar in a food processor and process until the garlic and ginger root are well chopped.

Peel the radish or carrots then cut in matchsticks or use a peeler or mandolin to shave. 

Cut the green onions diagonally.  Add the radish and green onions to the drained Napa cabbage. Add the red pepper mixture to the vegetables and mix with your hands (use gloves if you cannot stand the heat of the peppers) making sure the pieces are well coated.

Transfer to a jar or jars packing tightly to release air pockets.  Cap them loosely then put on a plate to catch spills when starting to ferment.

Leave on the counter where they won’t get direct sun.  Let ferment for 3 days, taste if sour enough then refrigerate to slow the fermentation. The longer it ferments the more sour it will be.

I started eating them on the second day.     

Note: 

¼ cup Korean red pepper is pretty hot.  Reduce to 2 TBS or 3 TBS. to makeif you’re not used to spicy foods.