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Basic Fermented Kimchi

I was particularly inspired by the books: Eating Korean by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee and Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. Their recipes have become the base of mine, but I would recommend experimenting yourself in the making process, as it is part of its tradition. Try adding or playing around with different hot chili, dry fish and shrimps.

Basic Fermented Kimchi

Hadar Iron
My kimchi recipe is basic, as there are many variations of kimchi in the different regions of its origin birthplace Korea.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Fermenting Time 7 days
Total Time 7 days 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Korean

Equipment

  • Ceramic Fermenting Crock

Ingredients
  

Salt Water

  • 1 cup salt
  • ½ gallon water

Base

  • 2 heads Napa cabbage cut into quarters
  • 1 Asian radish peeled and grated

Paste

  • 1 bulb garlic cloves separated and peeled
  • 3 tbsp fresh ginger root grated or cut into ¼ inch lengths
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ½ cup Chili powder or dry California chili cut into ½" pieces
  • 1-2 onion(s) chopped

Vegetables

  • 1 Asian pear grated or cut into sticks
  • 1 bunch mustard greens cut into 2" length
  • 1-2 carrots
  • 1 bunch green onions cut into 1" length

Misc

  • 1 tsp sugar
  • sesame oil or sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Dissolve 1-cup salt in ó gallon water. Soak the Asian radish and cabbage in the salt water for 6 hours or overnight.
  • After soaking, or the next day, drain the cabbage and the radish but retain some of the salty water. Leave a one cabbage leaf as a whole (not cut).
  • Combine garlic, ginger, fish sauce, chili and onion in food processor, blend until finely minced into a paste.
  • Cut cabbage into pieces of 1 ó “ and radish into 2” length of narrow sticks. Cut carrots and Asian pear into the same size sticks.
  • In large bowl, combine, green onion, mustard greens, Asian pear, carrots 1 tablespoon salt and sugar and toss gently.
  • Add to the bowl the cabbage and radish.
  • Add the ginger-chili-garlic paste with and mix together.
  • Pack it tightly into the ceramic vessel and use one Napa leaf to wrap the mixture on top. Add a little bit of salty water on top.
  • Close the lid on top of vessel, and add water in the trough, add water if trough gets dry. Ferement for 5 days or more.
  • Take kimchi out of vessel
  • Pack into jars and store

Notes

This recipe uses Ceramic Fermenting Crocks made by Inferment.
 
Keyword Fermented Vegetables