Korean Kimchi (or Kimchee) - fermented cabbage

My mother is Korean and I have inherited a deep love for eating and cooking Korean food.  One staple of Korean food is kimchi, which is the most common type of banchan (small side dishes eaten with a Korean meal) and it is used as a primary ingredient in many main dishes.  Kimchi is also know for its digestive aid effects as the fermentation process creates "good bacteria" in Kimchi to act as a probiotic.  I have to add that Kimchi is certainly an acquired taste but once you enjoy it, you will love it forever. :)

Ingredients

- 2 large heads of napa cabbage
- 1 large asian radish
- 1.5 cups kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sweet rice powder/flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 small onion
- 1 cup of peeled garlic
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 4-6 cups asian hot pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want your kimchi)
- 6 green onions
- 1 pair rubber or disposable plastic gloves

Directions

1.  Cut the cabbages in half (or quartered - up to you), and spread out leaves.

2.  Soak each piece of cabbage in cold water and sprinkle fair amount of salt on the inside of each individual leaf.  The stem should receive more salt than the leave portion of the cabbage.  After rinsing and salting all leaves, cover and leave for 4-5 hours.  After 2 hours, turn cabbage for even salt distribution.

3.  Peel radish and use grater to shred 1.5 cups of radish.  Squeeze with towel to remove excess liquid and keep separately in side dish.  Cut up remaining radish into 1 inch cubes and place into a big bowl and sprinkle with fair amount of salt and toss.  Cover and leave for same amount of time as cabbage and toss after 2 hours for even salt distribution.

4.  After 4-5 hours, rinse the salted cabbage and radishes and SQEEEEZE the water out. 

KIMCHI PASTE


1.  Add 1/2 cup of rice flour/powder with 3. cups of water and bring to a bubble on medium high heat in a skillet on the stovetop.  Pour 1/4 cup of sugar into mixture and stir for one more minute.  Stir constantly until thickened and remove from heat.  When you see some bubbles, pour 1/4 cup of sugar into the porridge and stir one more minute. Then remove from heat and allow to cool down.  When cool, place the cold porridge into a big bowl.

2.  Combine garlic, fish sauce, ginger and onion in a food processor and blend until smooth.

3.  Add garlic mixture to porridge and mix well, slowly adding in hot pepper flakes.

4. Add 6 diagonally-sliced green onions and 1.5 cups of shredded Korean radish and mix all ingredients well.


KIMCHI PASTE + CABBAGE & RADISH

1.  Put on gloves

2.  Spread the kimchi paste onto each leaf of the cabbage in its entirety.  When complete with head, squeeze into an oval and place into air tight or sealed container.  Continue this process with each head of cabbage, placing into a snug position in the container.

3.  Mix leftover paste with radish cubes (kakdugi) and add to the top of the container before sealing.

4.  Leave kimchi in refrigerator for a week before it is fermented enough to eat.

Enjoy! :)