Kimchi Korean Fermented Spicy Cabbage Food

KOREAN CABBAGE KIMCHI

Steps:

• Dissolve the 3 tablespoons salt in the water.
• Cut the cabbage into cut into 2-inch squares.
• Put the cabbage into a large bowl, a crock, or a nonreactive pot, and pour the brine over it.
• Weight the cabbage down with a plate.
• Let the cabbage stand for 12 hours.
• Drain the cabbage, reserving the brine.
• Mix the cabbage with the remaining ingredients, including the 1 teaspoon salt.
• Pack the mixture into a 2-quart jar.
• Pour enough of the reserved brine over the cabbage to cover it.
• Push a freezer bag into the mouth of the jar, and pour the remaining brine into the bag. Seal the bag.
• Let the kimchi ferment in a cool place, at a temperature no higher than 68° F, for 3 to 6 days, until the kimchi is as sour as you like.
• Remove the brine bag, and cap the jar tightly.
• Store the kimchi in the refrigerator, where it will keep for months.

SPICY CABBAGE KIMCHI

Steps:

• Cut the cabbages in half lengthwise and trim the ends. Rinse and cut into pieces about 2 inch square. Place the cabbage into large resealable bags and sprinkle salt on the leaves so they are evenly coated. Use your hands to rub the salt in to the leaves. Seal the bags and leave at room temperature for 6 hours.
• Rinse the salt from the cabbage leaves and then drain and squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the cabbage in a large container with a tight fitting lid. Stir in the fish sauce, green onions, white onion, garlic, sugar and ginger. Sprinkle the Korean chile powder over the mixture. Wear plastic gloves to protect your hands and rub the chile powder into the cabbage leaves until evenly coated. Seal the container and set in a cool dry place. Leave undisturbed for 4 days. Refrigerate before serving, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month (if it lasts that long!).

KIMCHI (KOREAN FERMENTED SPICY CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Remove discolored, bruised outer leaves of cabbage and rinse cabbage under cold water. Cut cabbage head into 2-inch pieces.
• Divide 3 cups water among 3 bowls. Stir 1 cup sea salt into each bowl of water. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup sea salt over cabbage.
• Place salted cabbage in the 3 bowls salted water until partially submerged; let sit 6 to 12 hours.
• Rinse cabbage thoroughly under cold water several times. Squeeze cabbage to remove excess water. Cabbage should have a rubbery texture. Transfer cabbage to a colander or basket to thoroughly drain the cabbage, at least 2 hours.
• Combine 3 cups water and rice flour in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk mixture until a glue-like consistency, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool rice mixture to room temperature.
• Combine onion, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor; pulse until smooth, adding more water if needed.
• Pour chile flakes into a large bowl; stir in onion-garlic mixture, cooled rice flour mixture, fish sauce, shrimp, brown sugar, and sesame seeds until well mixed. Add radish and green onions and mix well.
• Coat each cabbage piece with chile mixture by using your hands. (Rubber gloves are highly recommended.) Pack coated cabbage leaves inside air-tight glass jars or containers; cover each tightly with a lid. Keep jars at room temperature for fermentation to occur, about 2 days. Refrigerate kimchi after the 2 days.

KOREAN SPICY PICKLED CABBAGE (BAECHU KIMCHI)

Steps:

• Enjoy.

SPICY KOREAN KIMCHI

Steps:

• Separate and wash the cabbage leaves.
• Sprinkle them with the 2 tbsp of salt.
• Place them in a non corrosive dish (Pyrex) and pour in the 4 cups cold water, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge over night.
• The water should cover the leaves if not place a heavy object on them to keep them submerged.
• After sitting overnight pour off the water and rinse the leaves well, shake out excess moisture. ( I used my lettuce dryer to remove the extra moisture).
• Mix the garlic, ginger, green onion,chili flakes,sugar & 1 tbsp salt, stir together.
• Pour 11/2 cups of very hot water over the mixed seasoning.
• Place cabbage leaves in a large zip lock bag or in a bowl, pour in the seasoning, mix well so the seasoning is on every leaf.
• Place in the fridge for two days. Flip the bag every time you open the fridge door.
• To serve cut the leaves into 2" strips and serve as a side condiment.
• To store pack the cabbage into a jar and store in the fridge it will keep for several days to a week or more.

TRADITIONAL KIMCHI (NAPA CABBAGE KIMCHI)

Steps:

• Cut the thick white part of the cabbage lengthwise in half. Then, slowly pull apart by hand to separate into two pieces. Do the same for each half to make quarters. Running the knife through all the way would unnecessarily cut off the cabbage leaves.
• In a large bowl, dissolve 1/2 cup of salt in 5 cups of water. Thoroughly bathe each cabbage quarter in the salt water one at a time, shake off excess water back into the bowl, and then transfer to another bowl.
• Using the other half cup of salt and starting from the outermost leaf, generously sprinkle salt over the thick white part of each leaf (similar to salting a piece of meat). Try to salt all the cabbage quarters with 1/2 cup salt, but you can use a little more if needed. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage quarters. Pour the remaining salt water from the first bowl over the cabbage. Set aside for about 6 - 8 hours, rotating the bottom ones to the top every 2 - 3 hours.
• The cabbages should be ready to be washed when the white parts of the leaves are easily bendable. Rinse thoroughly 3 times, especially between the white parts. Drain well, cut side down.
• Meanwhile, make the optional dashima broth by boiling a small piece (2 to 3 inch square) in 1.5 cup of water for 5 minutes, and cool. Mix the rice powder with 1/2 cup water (or optional dashima broth) and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a thin paste, and cool.
• Prepare the garlic, ginger and saeujeot. Combine all the seasoning ingredients, including the rice paste and about 1/2 cup water (or the optional dashima broth), and mix well. Set aside until the red pepper flakes to dissolve slightly and become pasty.
• Cut the radish and optional pear into matchsticks (use a mandoline if desired), transferring to a large bowl. Cut the scallions diagonally into about 1-inch long pieces. Add the prepared seasoning mix to the radish, and mix well by hand. Throw in the scallions, and mix everything lightly. Taste a little bit. It should be a little too salty to eat as is. You can add salt, more salted shrimp or fish sauce, as needed. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld nicely.
• Cut off the tough stem part from each cabbage quarter, leaving enough to hold the leaves together. Place one cabbage quarter in the bowl with the radish mix. Spread the radish mix over each leaf, one to two tablespoons for large leaves. (Eyeball the stuffing into 4 parts and use one part for each cabbage quarter.)
• Fold the leaf part of the cabbage over toward the stem and nicely wrap it with the outermost leaf. Place it, cut side up, in a jar or airtight container. Repeat with the remaining cabbages. If you have lose large leaves, you can use them to cover the top of the kimchi (see note 1). Once all the cabbages are in the jar or airtight container, press down hard to remove air pockets. Rinse the bowl that contained the radish mix with 1/2 cup of water (or any remaining optional dashima broth) and pour into the kimchi container. Close the lid.
• Leave it out at room temperature for a full day or two, depending on the weather and how fast you want your kimchi to ripen. A half day is recommended during hot summer days. Then, store in the fridge. (See note 2.)

KIMCHI

Steps:

• Slice the cabbage lengthways in half, then slice each half lengthways again into 2 sections (3 if it's a large cabbage).
• Dissolve the course sea salt in a very large bowl of cold water. Once most of the salt has dissolved, submerge the cabbage pieces under the water. I usually put a large plate on top of the bowl to ensure all of the cabbage stays submerged. Leave for 2 hours
• While you're waiting, mix all of the seasoning ingredients in another large bowl.
• After 2 hours drain all of the water from the bowl containing the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage pieces with plenty of cold water to remove any undissolved salt crystals. Then squeeze each section of cabbage well to remove as much water as possible.
• Take each section of cabbage in turn and cover well with seasoning from the second bowl. Make sure seasoning is applied well in between each layer. Transfer each seasoned piece of cabbage into a large airtight container. * I highly recommend using gloves for this step!
• When all cabbage pieces have been seasoned and transferred to the container pour any excess seasoning on top and close the lid.
• The Kimchi can be eaten straight away (freshly made Kimchi is amazing!) or it can be left to ferment. If you plan to eat it later it should be left in the container at room temperature for 2 days before transferring it to the fridge.

KIMCHI RECIPE (BAECHU KIMCHI, OR NAPA CABBAGE KIMCHI)

Steps:

• Whisk together the unchlorinated cold water and sprinkle salt in a large bowl.
• Slice off the root end of the cabbage. Slice the cabbage into quarters and submerge them in the brine. Use a plate or other small weights to keep the cabbage completely submerged.
• Set aside for 8-12 hours at room temperature.
• Set the cabbage into a colander and drain the brine. Rinse the cabbage and squeeze out excess water using your hands. Chop the cabbage into 1 inch pieces (if desired, or leave the pieces whole).
• Add the cabbage to a large bowl along with the carrot, scallions, radish or turnip, Asian pear, garlic and ginger. Toss to combine.
• Add the rice flour and 1 cup water to a sauce pan. Heat to a simmer, then whisk for 3-4 minutes until smooth and the mixture forms a smooth, loose paste.
• Remove from heat and stir in the gochugaru. The chili flakes will bloom as the mixture cools.
• Stir in the fish sauce, salted shrimp, and miso paste (or your other umami alternatives).
• Pour the mixture into the cabbage and vegetables. With your hands, rub the gochugaru mixture into the vegetables, covering them as completely as possible. Be thorough. Really get in there with your hands!
• Taste and adjust for salt or any other desired seasonings.
• Pack the kimchi into a large mason jar (or several). You can use other vessels, like a fermentation crock. Press the contents down and weigh it down with glass fermentation weights (or use a plastic bag filled with water).
• Cover with a fermentation airlock lid, or use fermentation membranes (see notes). If you don't have such lid options, use a 2-piece lid, but don't screw it down, just set it on top. This is to allow any gases to escape while fermenting.
• Set aside away from any sunlit areas and ferment for 1-3 days at room temperature (you CAN ferment longer if you'd like - see RECIPE NOTES on fermentation times). Moisture should release from the kimchi, so press the kimchi down if needed to keep it below the liquid. Gases should escape via the fermentation membrane, or just loosen the lid to let any gas build up out.
• Set into the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week to let the flavors mingle. You can enjoy it right away, but it is better to wait. The fermenting kimchi will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge.
• Use as desired.