How to Make Your Own Kimchi
Have you ever wondered how does kimchi taste like? How do the actors in a korean drama crave their way to eat their favorite kimchi every time they finished taping their set?
The first time I heard about kimchi I find it weird to be honest, I tasted it at first and honestly, I didn't like the texture but as time passes by, I couldn't remove it on my mind and I keep finding the taste of the kimchi. I prefer snacking when watching a korean drama, I admit kimchi became one of my favorites.
What is a kimchi?
Kimchi is one of the most popular Korean side dish that is created from salted, fermented vegetables, which the main ingredient is cabbage and radishes. It's spice includes chili powder, garlic, ginger, red pepper and sugar that's where the kick when you eat a kimchi comes from. Kimchi has over 100 different varieties that ranges to kkakdugi (cubed radish) to oi sobagi (cucumber) and gat (mustard leaf), some of the most common version is the paechu kimchi, that is made with napa cabbage.
Ingredients:
Napa cabbage (Baechu 10 pounds), kosher salt/plain salt, sweet rice flour, water, sugar, garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce (optional), squid, hot pepper flakes, leek, green onions, carrot and radish.
Directions:
- Trim the leaves and remove the discolored part of the 10 pound napa cabbage.
- Cut the cabbage into lengthwise and then quarters. Remove the core of the cabbage and chop it to bite sizes.
- Place the chopped cabbage into a large basin and pour cold water, then sprinkle it with salt.
- For every 30 minutes, turn or rotate the cabbage over evenly. The salting time should be 1 1/2 hour.
- After 1 1/2 hour, you are now ready to rinse the cabbage 3 time in order to remove the excess salt and to clean it thoroughly.
- Drain and set the cabbage aside.
Make porridge:
1. Place 3 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sweet rice flour on a pot and mix it thoroughly and boil it. Keep stirring until there is a formation of bubbles. (maximum of 5 mins)
2. Add 1/4 cup of sugar. Keep stirring until it is cooked for a few more minutes and became transluscent.
3. Cool it down.
How to make a kimchi paste:
1. Place the porridge into a large bowl and add the ingredients one by one.
2. Add a cup of the fish sauce, 2 1/2 cups of hot pepper flakes of course this depends on your taste, a cup of crushed garlic, 1 or 2 tablespoons of minced ginger, a cup of minced onion. (You can use a food processor for convenience)
3. Wash and drain the salty squid after that you can chop it up and add it to the paste.
4. Add the green onions, 2 cups of chopped leek, 2 cups of korean radish and a quarter cup of carrot.
5. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Mix the cabbage onto the kimchi paste:
1. It is helpful to put the kimchi into a large basin to mix it all well and add all of the cabbage. Mix it by hand. *Note: huge basin less spill over
2. Place the kimchi onto the air tight sealed glass jar or plastic container.
You can eat the kimchi right away, store it on your refrigerator or wait for it to ferment.
Note: The kimchi is fermented 2 days after you made it. You can see visible bubbles and there is a sour smell.
I prefer to eat mine with a fried rice and egg. It is a good combination the rich and flavorful combination are very exciting. Hope you make your own kimchi! Enjoy!
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