Kimchi

Korean

Type of Dish Pickle

Ingredients

• 900 g (2 lbs) napa cabbage
• 50 g (1/4 cup) sea salt
• to cover Water
• 15 g (1 Tbsp) garlic (crushed)
• 5 g (1 tsp) ginger (grated)
• 5 g (1 tsp) sugar
• 35 ml (2 ½ Tbsp) fish sauce
• 45 g (3 Tbsp) Korean chili flakes
• 200 g (8 oz) Korean radish (cut into julienne)
• 4 spring onions (sliced)

Preparation

1. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 2 hours.
2. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 1 hour.
3. Combine garlic, ginger, sugar, chili and fish sauce.
4. Squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
5. Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. Pack kimchi into a jar, press it down until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with a lid. Leave to ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1-5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.)
6. Use salt that is free of iodine and/or anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation. Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.

Further Information

Yield 4

Preparation Time is approxmiately 30 minutes.