ShadowDriver
somebody shut me the fark up.
Mods (including Ron L), please move this as you see fit...
A couple of weeks ago, my thread on pastrami included a quick discussion with Ron about kimchi.
Today was the day to check the finished results. WOW, was it good! Tangy, and very spicy (I married a woman who thankfully likes heat/burn/spice)!
I asked her if she'd be willing to share the recipe, so here it is. This is basically what she found via a search on the Interwebs, but "Tweaked" a little to her liking. Hope it helps!
ShadowDriver
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) head napa cabbage
1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons good fish sauce
1-5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes ("gochugaru") (We used 3 Tbsp)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
1. Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2- inch-wide strips.
2. Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), 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 1-2 hours.
3. Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15-20 minutes. (No kidding.. if you don't rinse the cabbage 3 times, your Kimchi will be VERY salty/briny). Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside to use in step 5.
4. Make the paste: Combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru pepper flakes.
5. Combine the vegetables and paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
6. Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
7. Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid. (Consider a loose seal so that the gasses can escape as it ferments).
8. Let it ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for several 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.
9. Somewhere around 5-7 days (give the kimchi a taste or smell), transfer the jar to the refrigerator. It'll be good now, but giving it another few days will make it even better.
A couple of weeks ago, my thread on pastrami included a quick discussion with Ron about kimchi.
Today was the day to check the finished results. WOW, was it good! Tangy, and very spicy (I married a woman who thankfully likes heat/burn/spice)!
I asked her if she'd be willing to share the recipe, so here it is. This is basically what she found via a search on the Interwebs, but "Tweaked" a little to her liking. Hope it helps!
ShadowDriver
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) head napa cabbage
1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons good fish sauce
1-5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes ("gochugaru") (We used 3 Tbsp)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
1. Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2- inch-wide strips.
2. Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), 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 1-2 hours.
3. Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15-20 minutes. (No kidding.. if you don't rinse the cabbage 3 times, your Kimchi will be VERY salty/briny). Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside to use in step 5.
4. Make the paste: Combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru pepper flakes.
5. Combine the vegetables and paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
6. Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
7. Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid. (Consider a loose seal so that the gasses can escape as it ferments).
8. Let it ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for several 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.
9. Somewhere around 5-7 days (give the kimchi a taste or smell), transfer the jar to the refrigerator. It'll be good now, but giving it another few days will make it even better.
eep:
