Kimchi |
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cabbage
| 5 | lb | Napa cabbage, washed and quartered | ||
| 3-4 | tablespoon | salt |
Rub salt in Napa cabbage leaves, massaging it into the leaves. This will assist in drawing liquids out of the cabbage.
In a large bowl, place all salted Napa cabbage leaves with a plate and an object that weights at least 2 lb on top. This will further assist in drawing the liquids out of the cabbage.
To prevent insects from entering the bowl, place a kitchen towel over the bowl to protect it. Wrap tightly. You will be letting this sit overnight.
daikon
| 1 | large | daikon, cut into bite-sized pieces | ||
| 1 | tablespoon | salt |
In a separate bowl, massage salt into daikon. Same with the cabbage, place a plate and a weight over the daikon to assist with drawing liquids out of the daikon.
Protect against insects with a towel over the bowl. Wrap tightly. Let it sit overnight
paste
| 1 | whole | garlic, peeled | ||
| 5 | tablespoons | ginger, roughly chopped | ||
| 1 | onion, quartered | |||
| 2 | apples, peeled, cored, and quartered | |||
| 2 | cubes | Chinese fermented bean curd | ||
| 1 | cup | gojucharu, use depending on heat tolerance | ||
| 6 | green onions, chopped | |||
| 2 | carrots, grated | |||
| 1 | chili peppers, thinly sliced |
In a blender or food processor, blend garlic, ginger, onion, apples, and Chinese fermented bean curd until smooth. Slightly chunky is fine.
Add the rest of the ingredients to combine with the blended mix.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 — Coat with paste
| 2 | medium | kombu |
On the morning of day 2, drain and rinse cabbage and daikon, still keeping them separately.
In each bowl, place a kombu at the bottom.
Rub paste to coat the vegetables so it's evenly distributed. You may use gloves for this part if you have sensitive hands, as the paste will be spicy. Place them back into their bowls.
Place a plate and a weight over the vegetables again. Protect against insects with a towel over the bowl and let it sit for 2 days. Wrap tightly.
Day 4 — Make brine
| 1 | quart | water | ||
| 3 | tablespoons | salt |
On day 4, make a brine with water and salt. You may have to heat the water up slightly to dissolve the salt. If you do this, make sure to let water cool back down first.
In each bowl, add enough brine to submerge the vegetables completely.
Wrap tightly again and refrigerate. You may also use a glass jar for this. Do not use plastic.
Day 7 — Taste
Three days later, or on day 7, taste your kimchi. You should be ready to start eating. This will last for months. The taste will get stronger as it ages.