This fermented dish is a Korean staple, it is a labour of love - but well worth it, and has so many health benefits.
""I didn't realise how much better my stomach feels eating kimchi" was feedback we have had about this dish!! The key to the traditional Kimchi flavour is all in the fermentation. Tongbaechu is the Korean name for Chinese cabbage, Napa cabbage, but this dish can also be made with any White Cabbage, we've tried to preserve Brussel Sprouts and some people even recommend Fennel!!
"I didn't realise how better my stomach feels eating kimchi"
Making this spiced cabbage side dish yourself, means you can add the perfect amount of spice for you!! Conventionally not vegan, using seaweed instead of fish sauce helps vegans and people with fish allergies. Delicious mixed into fluffy rice, it is the perfect combination to make you want to keep eating more. It adds a wonderful kick to any meal or salad, with the benefit of being good for you.
(If you have a diagnosed condition of the gut, such as SIBO or Chron's check first before eating, but you can still make it for the family or as a gift....it's a great hamper item ).
Kimchi
Ingredients
2-4 Chinese Cabbage
½ c Salt – for dehydrating cabbage
2 C daikon (or turnip) thinly sliced into matchsticks
1/2C Carrot thinly sliced into matchsticks
2 C Spring onion
¼ C hydrated seaweed (optional)
Porridge
2 C water
2 tbsp sweet rice flour (or cornflour)
2tbsp brown sugar
½ C Garlic
1 C Onion
2 tsp fresh ginger
½ C - 1 C or Gochujang
2 tbsp siracha sauce or
2 tsp red chilli pepper flakes (optional)
½ c soy sauce (optional)
Directions
Chop the cabbage into quarters, place them in a bowl and cover with the salt.
Cover with a plate or a lid, leave to dehydrate for a minimum of 2 hours.
Finely slice the carrots, daikon (or turnip) and spring onions
Roughly chop the garlic, onion and ginger
Make the “porridge
Mix the water and rice flour (or cornflour), in a pot
Put it on a low to medium heat, stirring constantly until it becomes a smooth, thickened liquid.
Once smooth, add the brown sugar, stir into the liquid until is dissolved - remove the pot from the heat.
Cool mixture thoroughly
In a blender
Put the chopped onion, garlic and ginger in a blender
Add the cooled porridge mixture
Blend to a smooth paste
Add the Gochujang paste, siracha sauce, seaweed, soy sauce and chilli pepper flakes
Blend again until smooth
Mix together kimchi ingredients
Drain any water from the cabbage
Wash thoroughly in clean water
Remove excess water from the cabbage using paper kitchen towels
Mix in the thinly sliced vegetables – carrots, turnip or daikon and spring onions
Thoroughly coat the cabbage in porridge mix & put into an Ongi (Korean ceramic jar), clean glass jar or sealed BPA free container tightly packing to avoid air spaces.
Press the cabbage to submerge under the liquid. If the kimchi does not fill the container, top with greaseproof paper so that no mold can form.
Cover the container with a lid
Can be eaten immediately, but best when left to ferment. Leave to ferment for 1- 3 days, the smell should change & you will see some bubbles of fermentation.
Refrigerate
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