Wow
wednesday.... even sick your working for us....now get back to bed. lol
demetra.... funny, I'd need to change the ingredients a bit. I wonder how Nina feels about getting sticky... I learned there are a few things women are not fond of..... cold..wet...sticky...and hungry...(the dark modifier seems to enhance the effect) You start combining em and Look out...
I'll fire this puppy up with the basics for making homemade
KimChi (Chee) (Korean Pickled vegatables).... (been doing it a long time) Koreans make over 150 different kinds... it was their way of having vegetables in the Winter with out refrigeration.... AMA says it the most "Heart Healthy" food you can eat, because of the enzimes and good bacteria..... I eat it cause it "GOOD" Once it's made it will keep forever, I don't even refirdigate in Winter.... Koreans keep it in clay pots (lucks) buried in the ground.
C&P and print....looks detailed, but its' easy. Mine is a more traditional method, because I learned in Korea....
Finding and Oriental Grocery will make this cheaper and easier (Korean, if possible)
Shopping Listnapa cabbage - large head big as football (or 2)..... get a Korean Radish also, plenty of paste for both)
green onions - 8 to 12 (
I use a bunch 20 or more)
sweet onion - large or 2 small
garlic - 10 to 15 cloves (
I use a cup of pealed cloves 25/30)
ginger - big Tbs minced (
I use a 2/3" chunk peeled)
fish sauce - best is Viet Huong (optional, but I like it)
Red pepper flakes - it's.not too hot ( 2lb bag, seal and keep in freezer for freshness after open)
sweet rice flour - best is
Mochiko ( koda farms) (You will use this for all your thickening needs and gravy, works great)
coarse sea salt - oriental store best buy (no salt w/iodine or other additives...yuck) about 1$ a pound.
optional - kimchi base (starts batch quicker, I use in Winter... speeds lacto-fermentation (sour)
HOWmake kimchee paste - enough for one to two sm heads napa (extra paste will keep forever in fridge) or wilt the Korean radish and slice in shoe string pieces..I use a mandolin with a small shredder blade)
3 c cold water
1/2 c mochiko sweet rice flour (oriental grocery)
1/8 c sugar
Bring to a boil and stir over med heat for about 5 min will turn thick and shiny.
let cool and wilt cabbage
salt napa (wash after you wilt)
Quarter the cabbage....cut head at the butt and pull apart - then cut the halves and pull apart
in big bowl lift leaves leaves apart on quarters and salt liberally between (usually takes at about 2 c coarse salt, can't over do it)
let wilt 2 hours, turn occasionally.... rinse 2/3 times in fresh water to remove salt...
stuff for paste ( I use blender, saves a lot of chopping) To the cooled paste add:
sweet onion (1 large - chunked for blender)
1/4 c fish sauce (
I've used a 1/2)
Tbs or more ginger
(I peel about a 2/3 inch chunk)
10 - 15 cloves garlic (
I use 1c peeled cloves 25/30)
1/8 c kimchee base (
if used, I don't bother in warm weather)
1 cup Red Pepper Flakes..(
I use 2c not very hot)
blend and add to cool mochiko paste - then add 1 to 2c red pepper power
and slice 6-8 green onions 1/2" on 45* angle
stir well
rince wilted napa several time to remove salt
cut each rinsed quarter in bite size chunks 1 to 1 1/2 inch (Koreans leave the quarters intact to ferment.)
put cut cabbage in big bowl ... add the rest of the cut green onions and mix in paste by hand (I use gloves, but you don't have to if you like to smell for a day or so, Korean Ladies would never use gloves they say it add to the taste if you rub the cabbage bare handed)
depending on how much napa you have you probable will not use all to paste ....if you can find a Korean radish, or Japanese radish -
you can shred it... salt it ...rince it, and add cut green onions and paste at same
time. usually enough paste for both kimchee's
stop when the pieces have a good coat - extra paste will keep forever in fridge. put finished kimchee in glass w/ lid or plastic, push it down everyday for week to keep water over it and air pockets out. leave it out of fridge until it starts to sour (a few days depending on temp lid on loose) Even old KimChi can be used to cook with.... The longer is sets the sourer it gets.
good basic batch - all ingredients can be adjusted - sometimes I add some
salt water to cover the leaves or just water. always sea salt - table salt will screw it up
I eat it with rice...ramen noodles..... stir-fry..... omelets... on hamburgers/hotdogs....great with chicken
Use the Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour to thicken any Meat juices for gravy....about half the amount of flour and doesn't separate later.
www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=kim+cheeHappy to answer questions.... PM me.
Fact is I'm going to make a batch tomorrow...