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Kimchi
Most kimchi recipes follow the same routine—brine or salt the veggies, add ginger, garlic and chilies, allow to ferment (or not) and eat. There’s a reason why it’s Korea’s national dish—it’s tasty.
Ingredients:
- 1 head Napa cabbage, cut into pieces about 2.5 cm in size.
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
- 20 garlic cloves, minced (yes, 20)
- 2.5-cm knob of ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) Korean chile flakes, such as kochukaru*
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce (preferably Korean or Japanese brands)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated root vegetable, such as carrots or Asian radishes
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce** (optional)
- green onions (optional)
Directions:
- Toss the cabbage with salt and two tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Let cabbage sit overnight in the fridge, allowing the water to seep out.
- Drain the cabbage, squeezing any water out. Reserve this water and set aside the cabbage.
- Combine kochukaru*, garlic, ginger, fish sauce (if using), soy sauce and remaining sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth paste, adding small amounts of the cabbage water. Spoon mixture into a plastic or non-reactive bowl. Stir the root vegetables or carrots into the paste.
- Blend in the cabbage and place the mixture into jars. The kimchi will be ready to eat in 24 hours. It can last for a few weeks in the fridge and will intensify in flavour over time. If you don’t want to wait, serve the kimchi now, drizzled with a little sesame oil and sesame seeds.
This recipe was featured in the article Time in a bottle.
Recipe courtesy of Simon Thibault (adapted from David Chang’s Momofuku cookbook)
Much as I love Momofuku, you really don’t need sugar to make kimchi.
I think the sugar is meant to aid fermentation, but I’ve heard of people making great kimchi without using it. I guess it’s a matter of personal taste.