If you want to make traditional Korean kimchi yourself, it comes in almost as many forms as other fermented vegetables. These range from mild taste to spicy versions. Such a recipe makes it possible to educate manyprobiotic bacteria, and the longer the Chinese cabbage ferments, the more they multiply. It has a variety of flavors, with the standout flavors making for a spicy vitamin bomb thanks to the garlic and sour flavor. Discover simple instructions for making them and enjoy homemade vegetables as a side dish or snack in winter.
Make traditional Korean kimchi yourself
As a lover of Asian cuisine, have you often wondered how you can make kimchi at home? For example, you can start with an authentic Korean recipe with or without fish sauce and your own fermented vegetablesproduce. In addition to kombuchaand kefir, this is another natural product that stimulates digestion through a process of fermentation and healthy bacteria. Here's how you can improve your overall health. However, kimchi can be a mystery to those who haven't tried it.
It's basically fermented cabbage, but it can become so much more when paired with other dishes. It is full of probiotics, which is apromote healthy microbiome. Its main ingredient, Chinese cabbage, brings another load of healthy properties. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, C and folic acid. And when fermentation is complete, 1 cup (150g) of kimchi has only 23 calories while being relatively high in fiber (2.4g).
Many Koreans eat a little kimchi with every meal or at least once a day. Dempickled vegetablesis credited with helping most people prevent obesity by keeping them full even with low calories and fat. The University of Seoul conducted a study on this matter. The researchers claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, recovered quickly after eating food that also contained bacteria cultured in this way.
So how can you make homemade kimchi yourself? All you really need as accessories is a knife, a cutting board and a large bowl. However, you will also need a few ingredients that you may not have yet.
“Umami” taste
Of course, with the promise of such great taste and health benefits, you can try your hand at making kimchi. The thing is, though, traditional kimchi isn't entirely vegetarian. Most authentic kimchi recipes contain fish sauce, which gives kimchi its famous specific umami flavor. To make this plant-based recipe, you can try two variations without fish sauce. In the first one you simply leave out the fish sauce, while in the second you can use miso paste instead. However, both variations can be so delicious that they go well with any meal.
Make kimchi yourself – ingredients for a glass
- 1-2 Stk. Chinakohl– forms the base of kimchi.
- 1/2 cup non-iodized salt– Use kosher salt or sea salt as iodized salt can prevent fermentation.
- 150g Korean pepper flakes or hot paprika powder/paste– Also known as gochujang or gochugaru, you can find these online or in an Asian supermarket.
- 1 garlic bulb– Be careful not to add too much as this can cause the kimchi to become bitter.
- Ginger to taste– This brings a fresh taste while contributing to fermentation like kombucha.
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar– A little bit of this is enough to boost fermentation and give the bacteria something to feed on.
- 1-2 carrots or daikon radish– Traditional kimchi uses daikon radish for extra crunch, although carrots work just as well.
- 1 bunch of green onions– These give the whole thing an additional flavor and more color.
preparation
There are two main stages to making homemade kimchi. In the first case, you salt the cabbage so that all bad bacteria are killed and moisture is released. In the second stage, the good lactobacillate bacteria take over all the sugar and convert it into lactic acid. When all is said and done, this will make about 8 cups of kimchi. You can reduce this if you feel you cannot consume this amount of a kimchi recipe. So let's get started.
- Wash your hands well before touching the ingredients. You should also wash off the products with hot water. Cleanliness is the key to pickling vegetables.
- Rinse the cabbage well and cut it lengthwise into quarters. Use a paring knife to remove the knobby core from them before cutting them in half lengthwise again, leaving you with quarters. Cut across the quarters to create bite-sized pieces.
- Place the pieces in a large bowl and cover completely with salt. Work the salt between all the leaves like this and let them rest for 2 hours, massaging and turning the cabbage every 30 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted.
Taste and mix
- When finished, drain the cabbage in a colander and rinse very well until a torn piece no longer tastes overly salty.
- Pour in enough cold water to spread the cabbage and carrots a little. The ingredients don't need to be floating in the water, just covered.
- Squeeze out the excess water.
- While the cabbage is in the brine, place the pepper flakes, garlic, ginger and sugar in a clean food processor along with a little water to combine.
- If desired, also add miso paste, which provides the umami flavor.
- Combine the well-rinsed cabbage (either whole leaves or coarsely chopped), pepper paste, carrots or daikon radish and green onions in a large bowl and mix well with clean hands (you can use gloves here to prevent your hands smell it later).
Make your own seasoning mixture as a paste for kimchi
You could try dipping dried chili peppers if you absolutely can't find the Korean chili flakes. You can also use the fresh version to make the paste. You can then mix these in a food processor to make a paste of garlic, ginger, shallots, Korean chili flakes (or gochujang) and optionally fish sauce (or miso) and sugar. If you want a mild version, use half the hot pepper and a little less garlic and ginger. The fish sauce adds a really delicious complexity and depth, but you can of course keep the whole thing vegan. Mix everything together into a nice, red, fabulous smelling paste.
Allow kimchi to ferment
Finally, let the mixture ferment in clean glass jars. Place them upside down so that the vegetables are immersed in their own juices. Leave at least one centimeter of space at the top of the jar and close it with a lid. Place the sealed jar on a plate or bowl to catch any possible juices if the lids leak. Store it in a place at room temperature and out of direct sunlight and allow the kimchi to ferment for 2 to 5 days.
The kimchi is ready when the taste is slightly sour and the cabbage looks like it and becomes a little soft. However, the end point depends on your taste. The longer you keep the kimchi thanFerment foodsthe more acidic it will be and the less bite it will have. This happens faster in a warmer environment. Just try it every day when checking the process. If necessary, put the jar in the fridge when it has reached the perfect ripeness for you. Cooling interrupts the fermentation process. The product stays fresh for several weeks or months. Kimchi makes a great side salad, but you can also use it as a condiment or as a topping in a number of recipes.
Storage after fermentation
The optimal temperature for storage is around 16°C if you eat the pickled vegetables immediately. So if you have a basement like this, storing it there would be the best choice. Check the temperatures in your home or apartment, then place the jars in a cupboard or box in the coolest location. If you live in a warm place, you can place a box or bucket in the ground in a shady area. You then cover the top with soil for insulation or connect a mini fridge to maintain the correct temperature.
Check your kimchi regularly if you can to make sure everything is going well. Shake the jars to redistribute the bacteria and food sources for quick and even fermentation. In the pictures you will find photos before and after fermentation.
