Healthy: Basic Kimchi Recipe

Inspired by the recipes in "Kimchi: Essential Recipes of the Korean Kitchen" I decided to try my hand at making kimchi at home. As a homebrewer I am familiar with the process of fermentation and all of the usual aspects of watching fungi and bacteria turn foodstuff into something glorious. However, the idea of watching food bubble and ferment was a new one for me. However, I have been trusting the same yeast and bacteria that work in kimchi to make some of my favorite beers so although I was skeptical about the merits of a bubbling jar of cabbage it actually develops quite nicely with very little work.

Kimchi is a spicy Korean sour cabbage that can be compared to German sauerkraut if sauerkraut was spicy. Kimchi actually relies on more ingredients for spicing than sauerkraut but the process of making either fermented cabbage is the same. Submerge cabbage in a slightly salty liquid and let the bacteria naturally present on the cabbage do the hard work souring it. That's really all there is to it. There are a number of variants to develop flavors but this simple recipe for kimchi relies on ingredients you can find at most supermarkets. The difficult ingredient to find, which may require a trip to an Asian grocer, is Korean chili powder (gochugaru). However, I was able to concoct a substitute that I feel is 95% of the way there. Otherwise, everything else I used in the recipe came from my local Kroger here in Fort Worth. It is cheap and easy to make. There are more complex recipes out there that use other ingredients that may also require a trip to an ethnic store for authentic ingredients but this is a good entry point.

Here are a few tips/modifications to consider in making this recipe:

1. Consider the right vessel to make kimchi: You need something that can hold up to acidity (so no aluminum) and ideally glass or ceramic works well because it is unaffected by the acidity in kimchi and it will hold up to pressing the cabbage in to make a tight fit. Old glass jars or mason jars work fine but be careful about the metal lids. The acidity in kimchi can eat away the finish/paint on the lids. If you use anything with a metal lid be sure to wipe down the mouth of the glass before removing kimchi to remove any finish/paint that has leaked off onto the glass.
2. Also consider how much kimchi you are making: A medium head of cabbage will make approximately 72oz of kimchi. During active fermentation there will be bubbling and if the top of the kimchi liquid is close to the mouth of the vessel then you may get some overflow. So although you want to avoid too much open space at the top of your vessel you need enough to prevent spills. Keep your vessel(s) on a pan or plate so any spills are contained.
3. Release the pressure: It's a good idea to keep some kind of lid on the kimchi to keep out bugs but you don't want too tight of a fit on the lid. Keep the lid slightly ajar and release the lid further (in case overflowed liquid has dried on the lid and created a seal) to release any built up CO2. Exploding glass is a really bad thing. 
4. Chop the cabbage appropriately: Many recipes call for making kimchi by quartering the cabbage but you may find it difficult to work the cabbage tightly into your vessel that way. Because you will likely end up chopping up your cabbage once it has fermented, consider grating or further chopping the cabbage to make this process easier. 
5. Keep the vegetable underwater: Wet vegetable exposed to air can rot and grow mold. Neither is good for your kimchi. This is less of a problem once fermentation has soured the vegetable but you still want to avoid air exposure as much as possible. If you prepare the kimchi for souring and find you do not have enough liquid in the vessel then top it up with clean, chlorine-free water. (Chlorine kills bacteria and you want that bacteria to sour your kimchi.) Many people use a plate or a water-filled plastic bag to weigh down the vegetable matter. Consider this approach if you can't avoid floating cabbage.
6. Leave it alone: Once you prepare your vessel(s) for souring, leave them alone for a week or two. Clean up any messes, release the pressure if necessary and top up with water (especially if you have some spills) but do not otherwise bother the kimchi. No stirring or tasting is necessary. Just let it do its thing.
7. Gochugaru substitute: If you can't find Korean chili powder then use an equal volume substitute of one half red chili pepper flakes and regular chili powder. It isn't perfect but unless you are a true connoisseur of kimchi it is close enough that you will be happy with the results. Or go buy yourself some gochugaru.

Lastly, once your kimchi has fermented and sat for 1-2 weeks you can tighten the lid or transfer to a sealable container. It will stay good for 1-2 months (keep that in mind when you decide how much to make) and a little longer in the fridge. The flavor will develop over that time. If you prefer the flavor of younger kimchi then after a couple weeks you should store it in the fridge.

Basic Kimchi Recipe

Serving size: Roughly 72 ounces of kimchi
Prep time: 1.5 hours with 1-2 weeks of aging
Cook time: None

Equipment:

• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Vessel(s) for storing kimchi
• Large bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head of cabbage
• 3.5oz (by weight) of kosher salt
• Water
• 7oz (by weight) Korean chili powder
• 10.5oz (by weight) leek
• 14oz (by weight) daikon
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt

Directions:

1. Chop the cabbage into quarters. Remove and discard the hard stems. (Optional: further chop cabbage as explained above.)
2. Place cabbage in large bowl with 3.5oz kosher salt. Fill with water until it covers the cabbage. Let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes flip over the cabbage and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
3. While the cabbage is soaking, shred the daikon and leek. Grate the ginger.
4. Once the cabbage has soaked for an hour, drain the water and rinse the cabbage to remove the salt. 
5. Set aside the cabbage and dry out the bowl. Add all the ingredients from the chili powder to the 1 tbsp of salt to bowl. Mix together. Add cabbage and mix thoroughly until the cabbage is coated by the kimchi paste.
6. Add the cabbage to your vessel a small portion at a time. Try to squeeze the cabbage in as much as possible so it tightly fits. The cabbage should release water and help fill the vessel. Top up with clean, non-chlorinated water if necessary. Place weight on cabbage if necessary. Cover and let sit for 1-2 weeks.
7. If necessary, chop kimchi before serving.