Kimchi

Watching Jewel in the Palace a long, long time ago, I learn that napa cabbage was first introduce to Korea by Chinese for medicine purpose. It supposed to be good for your digest system and stomach, because of it cooling effect to your body. Later on it become the vegetable of the poor, because if was easily grown and cheap vegetable. Thus, the poor learn to ferment it and it that how it all started the kimchi obsessions. And over the years the recipe is past down from generations to generations as it changes to the taste of the maker.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to make Korean B.B.Q for our traditional Sunday dinner. Therefore I decided to make some kimchi with napa cabbage, daikon and Japanese cucumber. Using the same ingredients and process, I managed do all three kind of kimchi. Of course to get it done by Sunday, I usually soak it on Thursday night after work and finished on Friday night. Then by Sunday its ready to eat with the Korean B.B.Q. And what a Korean B.B.Q without kimchi right? A little warning, if you don’t have Korean chili powder. Do not replace it with just any other Asian chili powder. I did this once and it didn’t taste so good. Actually it didn’t even taste right or the original kimchi flavor. Sadly my husband can’t tell the difference, but I can and I have to endure a whole week of that kimchi. You named it I eat it all with kimchi….kimchi dumpling, kimchi noodle, kimchi with meat, kimchi with rice… Needless to say, it a lesson well learnt. lol






Ingredients:

1 Head of Napa cabbage
1 Cup + 1 Tsp of sea salt or kosher salt
½ Cup of Korean chili powder
2 Inches ginger clean and cut to small pieces
6 Scallions and cut diagonally
¼ Cup of fish sauce or to taste
5 Jalapenos slice your way
6 Cloves of garlic
1 Cup shredded carrot or thinly sliced diakon

Methods:

1. Wash the napa cabbage and pull each leaf and cut it in half down vertical then place it a plastic container fill with water and dissolve salt.
2. Cover it with a heavy plate or whatever heavy to put the pressure down. Making sure the cabbage is completely cover in water. Soak overnight.
3. The next day clean the salt out and drain the water out. Leave it flat to dry completely on a strainer. For a couple of hours.
4. In mortar, put the garlic, ginger grind it into tiny pieces.
5. Add the jalapeno, carrot (diakon) and scallion and lightly mesh together.
6. Now add the chili powder, salt and fish sauce, mix well almost paste like.
7. Now with gloves on, take the paste and rub all over the cabbage inside and out.
8. Lay it in a glass jar piece by piece and layer by layer until completely done.
9. Now close the jar air tight and let it fermented for 2 day for slightly sour and 3 day for sour. Do not touch or shake the jar in the process or you’ll crushed it.
10. Remember to put it in the refrigerator after opening. It last over a week.