Kimchi Recipes

Vegetarian Kimchi

(makes 2 quarts)

* 1 lb. Chinese cabbage (about 1/2 a large head)
* 1 lb. white radish
* 3 T. salt
* 2 T. finely minced ginger (fresh is *much* better!)
* 1 1/2 T. minced garlic
* 5 scallions, cut into fine rounds, including green tops
* 1 T. cayenne or hot Korean red pepper
* 1 t. sugar.

Slice cabbage in either bite-sized chunks or strips about 2 inches in length.

Peel radish, cut in half lengthwise then crosswise into 1/8 inch slices.

In a large bowl, put 5 C. water and 2 T. plus 2 t. of the salt.
Mix. Add cabbage and radish and dunk a few times, as they have a tendency to float.
Leave in the salty water, cover loosely and set aside for 12 hours, turning veggies over a few times.

After the soak period, take the ginger, garlic, scallions, cayenne, suger and remaining 1 t. salt in another large bowl.
Mix well.

Take the cabbage out of the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon (save the liquid) and add to the bowl with the seasonings and mix well.

Put this mixture in a 2 quart jar or crock. Pour enough of the salt water over to cover veggies.
Leave (at least) 1 inch space attop of jar.
Cover loosely with a clean cloth and set aside for 3 to 7 days to ferment.
Stir/turn veggies over daily.
In summer, kimchees ferment quickly; the process slows down in winter.
Taste the kimchee after 3 days to check on the sourness.
When done to your liking, cover jar and refrigerate.

http://www.ivu.org/recipes/eastasia/cabbage.html

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Makes about 1 quart

1 lb chinese (celery or Nappa) cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4
cups)
6 Tbs salt
4 green onions (including tops), finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs paprika
Cayenne pepper
2 cups water

Sprinkle the cabbage with 5 tablespoons of the salt. Let stand for 2
hours. Rinse off salt and drain. Add the green onions, ginger, garlic,
sugar, paprika, the remaining salt and a dash of cayenne pepper, and mix
thoroughly. Pack the vegetables in a jar and pour in the water. Cover
tightly. Refrigerate the vegetables for 24 hours before serving.

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1 large Chinese or Napa Cabbage
1 gallon (4l) water
1/2 cup (100g) coarse salt

1 small head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
one 2-inch (6cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
1/3 cup (80ml) chili paste or 1/2 cup Korean chili powder
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch (3cm) lengths (use the dark green part, too, except for the tough ends)
1 medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sugar or honey


1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 sections. Cut away the tough stem chunks.

2. Dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container, then submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate on top to make sure they stay under water, then let stand for 2 hours.

3. Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl.

4. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry.

5. Here's the scary part: mix it all up.

Some recipes advise wearing rubber gloves since the chili paste can stain your hands and can cause after burn if you touch your eyes or your pee-pee. If you have rubber or latex gloves, you might want to wear them.

(I went au naturel and my hands didn't stain. But I forgot to use the men's room beforehand and had to hold it a pretty long time, which was rather uncomfortable. So you may want to wear gloves or go before you mix.)

6. Pack the kimchi in a clean glass jar large enough to hold it all and cover it tightly. Let stand for two days in a cool place, around room temperature.

7. Check the kimchi after two days. If it's bubbling a bit, it's ready and can be refrigerated. If not, let it stand 1-2 more days, when it should be ready.

8. Once it's fermenting, serve or store in the refrigerator. If you want, add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds over the kimchi for serving.

Storage: Many advise to eat the kimchi within 3 weeks. After that, it can get too fermented.


(David Lebovitz)