Cabbage Week: Kimchi

C – Luke loves my kimchi.

I usually have to make more than one jar, just in case he takes one from me. Especially, if it’s a really good batch. He snacks on it for breakfast when shooting day happens. He’s been suggesting I post it on the blog for some time now. But, I have been reluctant. I actually have never made this recipe exactly the same every time.

I love to add and change my kimchi recipe. Some days I have diakon and apple pears. Other days it’s regular cabbage instead of Napa cabbage. Some days there’s lots of fish sauce and other day there is no fish sauce at all.

I just throw things in until the texture and taste suits me. It’s the way I love to cook. I just let muscle memory take over and, hopefully, I create something awesome. So, when cabbage week came around, I figured I should actually measure the stuff I throw into my kimchi and do a post.

There was definitely a lot of second guessing. Should I add this much salt? Is there enough sugar? Is there enough fish sauce in this recipe? I was a complete mess with this. Luckily I have made kimchi many times.

I know that if I get the balance of salty and sweet right, after it ferments, everything will be delicious.

Besides the great health benefits, fermentation helps bind all the flavors and adds a bit of sourness that is needed to make a delicious tasting kimchi. As long as it tastes good going into fermentation, it will taste better after fermentation is done.

Cabbage Week: Kimchi

Recipe type: Sides

Author: Christina

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 48 hours

Total time: 48 hours 45 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 pounds Napa cabbage
• 1 small Diakon radish, peeled and julienned
• 2 green onions, chopped
• ½ Asian pear, juillened
• 1 carrot, peeled and juillened
• 2 Tbsp Korean chili powder, more or less depending on how spicy you want it
• 1 Tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 cloved garlic, minced
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
• ⅛ cup small, dried, salted shrimp, soaked
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle ½ to 1 tablespoons of salt over Napa cabbage. Massage into cabbage and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse napa cabbage with water if it’s too salty. Drain and set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Add cabbage and mix well.
5. Pack kimchi into a mason jars and close lids tightly.
6. Set aside for 1 to 2 days. Kimchi is ready when it turns a bit sour.
7. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.
8. Serve when you like.
9. Enjoy!

3.1.08

This kimchi is packed full of flavor. It’s a bit spicy, with 2 tablespoons of chili powder. So, reduce the amount of chili powder you use if you like less spicy. It’s nice that it can be made in just a couple of days and refrigerated.

I love knowing that I have kimchi in the refrigerator. It’s a great go-to item that I can eat with anything. Just need a bowl of rice or quinoa and I have a meal.