Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Kimchi Making

Still working on this recipe, but...

1 head Napa Cabbage
1/2-1 cup coarse or kosher salt

6 green onions, cut into 2" pieces
1 6" dashi radish
5 cloves garlic, cut into slivers

Blend into paste:
10 cloves garlic pureed with the spices
1" x 2" ginger knob, grated
1/4 cup sugar or honey, or 1/2 pureed apple or pear
1 tbsp salted shrimp (or double fish sauce amount)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp Korean chili powder
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

optional- 1 tsp miso



Dissolve 1/2 cup of salt into a pint/drinking glass of warm water- just stir to dissolve.

Cut cabbage into big pieces, or small (2" x 2" pieces is small), place into big mixing bowl

Pour salt water onto cabbage, and fill bowl layering cabbage, then a tablespoon of salt, another layer of cut cabbage, another tablespoon of salt, etc. Cover with plastic wrap and stack dishes on top of bowl of cabbage.

Let sit for 4-6 hours, or overnight. The plates will slowly descend into the bowl and press down the cabbage as it releases water from the brining, and the bottom of the bowl will fill with the residual water.

While waiting for cabbage to wilt in salt water, cut up all the other ingredients: green onions, garlic, dashi, carrot, and puree other ingredients into a paste. If not using a fruit, measure sugar.

Next step is to simply combine all the ingredients listed above and stir with your (covered) hands




After mixing, parse into jars and let sit counter top for 2-4 days before refridgerating.


Eat after the 2-4 days, or let sit in fridge to develop for months.

I like to dash a drip of sesame oil onto a serving of fresh kimchi.