I have never cared one way or another about trying Kimchee until I visited my daughter in RI and we went to a wonderful Korean restaurant that served it as part of a appetizer set-up. I even made it through my years in the military without having tried it. For anyone who is military or former military - you will understand how making it out of the army without having tried Kimchee or cigarettes is pretty good!
Anyway, my daughter also made Kimchee while I was visiting and I did not get to taste it because it takes so long to ferment! What drew me to it was how pretty it looked and how easy the process seems to be.
I decided to try my hand at Kimchee. I googled a recipe, found a half gallon wide-mouth mason jar and went to town (literally). We have an asian food store called the Sunrise Market down on Kingston Pike. I located the Napa Cabbage and all the items I did not have readily available already at home.
Then I got tired....
It was two days that the cabbage sat in the kitchen, getting old. By the time I made the Kimchee, I had to cut away bad cabbage leaves and spots. I wasted a lot of cabbage. I will have to do better in the future.
The recipe below is easy and quick. I am currently on about day 6 and the Kimchee is mild and tasty.
Makes two quarts
One large Chinese or Napa Cabbage
One gallon (4l) water
1/2 cup (100g) coarse salt
one small head of garlic, crushed, peeled and finely minced
one 2-inch (6cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced (It was a bit much ginger for me)
1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
1/4 cup (80ml) chili oil or 1/2 cup Korean chili powder (I did not have the powder, so I used the oil I had)
one bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch (3cm) lengths (use the dark green part, too, except for the tough ends)
one medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
one teaspoon sugar or honey (I used sugar)
1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 sections. Cut away the tough stem chunks.
2. Dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container, then submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate on top to make sure they stay under water, then let stand for 2 hours.
3. Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl.
4. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry.
5. Here’s the scary part: mix it all up.
Some recipes advise wearing rubber gloves since the chili paste can stain your hands.
6. Pack the kimchi in a clean glass jar large enough to hold it all and cover it tightly. Let stand for one to two days in a cool place, around room temperature.
7. Check the kimchi after 1-2 days. If it’s bubbling a bit, it’s ready and should be refrigerated. If not, let it stand another day, when it should be ready.
8. Once it’s fermenting, serve or store in the refrigerator. If you want, add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds over the kimchi for serving.
Storage: Many people have advised to eat this kimchi within 3 weeks. After that, it can get too fermented. I would say that all depends on what you like.
Boy it compresses down...
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