Kimchi~~~ (What Koreans say instead of "Cheese~")

So.. I've finally decided to write down the recipe for my Kimchi. Anyway... I may have to go through a lot of revisions to make the recipe understandable, so if you have any suggestions, let me know! :)

Kimchi 김치 - Pickled cabbage

Ingredients
- 4 heads of napa cabbage (배추)
- 6 cups of salt

To get the cabbage ready to make Kimchi, cut each of the napa cabbage into a fourth. Run water over the cabbage so it'll be throughly wet. Fill a large size salt shaker with salt, and salt the cabbage "generously" between each leaf. (My mom just makes a really, really saturated salt water and dips the cabbage in the solution, but I've found my method saves time in the longer run, even though it may initially take longer.)

*Koreans usually have a large size tub, just to make kimchi, but I just use the sink. I just scrub it down before and after, and it makes it easy to prep and rinse the cabbage later.

After all the cabbage quarters have been salted, sprinkle more salt over all the cabbages (be very, very generous - I used about 6 cups of salt total for 4 heads of cabbage). Then fill the tub (or the sink) with water so that the cabbage will be submerged under salt water.

* Here, I used a plate and a bowl full of water to make the cabbage stay under the water.

Leave the cabbage in the salt for 3-4 hours, rotating the top and bottom layer half way. When you think the cabbage is ready, pick out a small size leaf (3-4 inch long) and test it (make sure to throughly rinse it under running water). When the leaf bends easily and you can taste a little bit of salt (you don't want it too salty), it is ready. Rinse the cabbage a couple times and squeeze most of the water out.

Kakdugi (깍두기) - Pickled radish

Ingredients
- 4 Korean radishes (무)
- 1/2 cup salt

To get the radish ready for Kakdugi, peel and wash the radish and dice it into bite size.

 

The easiest way is to cut it into 1-inch disks.

Cut the disk into 1-inch chunks, then slice it (1/4 inch thick).

Sprinkle the radish bits with salt and mix.

After half an hour (30 minutes - radish doesn't take long at all. Be careful not to leave it too long), rince it a couple times under cold running water.


Kimchi Sauce

Ingredients
- 2 cups of chopped Korean radish (half a head)
- 1 medium or 1/2 large onion
- 1/4 cup of minced garlic (or 12-15 cloves)
- 1 cup of fish sauce
- 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
- 4-5 cups of hot pepper powder (고추가루)

Prepare the radish by chopping it very thinly or using a slicer.

 

 

 

Blend the onion (add the garlic if you are using the garlic cloves).

 

In a small pot, mix 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour with 1 1/2 cup cold water.

Heat up the mixture over medium heat, strring occasionally.

*As the mixture heats up, you will start to see little chunks. When this starts to happen, keep mixing, until the whole thing turns into a glob of glue...

In a big metal bowl (or any bowl you don't mind getting stained), mix the radish, onion juice, garlic, sweet rice glue, chopped green onions, fish sauce, sugar, and the hot pepper powder.

 

 

 

* My mom says this is the best tasting fish sauce that she could find in Utah (and one of the most expensive). I haven't tested any other brands, but I'm sure they'll work too.

 

 

 

* If the sauce looks too dry or too thick, you can add 1/2 cup of water.

 

 

* The sauce is ready!

 

Final Steps

For Kakdugi, mix the sauce with the pickled radish.

 

For Kimchi, apply the sauce to the pickled napa cabbage, and make sure to get each and every single leaf (this is why it takes forever to make kimchi, but it's well worth it).

Enjoy! and let me know how it went if you do try my recipe. :)

* Make sure to wear gloves when handling the sauce. It will stain your skin and clothes.