One of my favourite things from Korean cuisine is all of the little appetizers and side dishes. One in which is kimchi. Here I will share my friend Jennifer Kim's family recipe.
2 heads of Nappa cabbage
1 carrot peeled and julienned
1 small daikon radish peeled and julienned
6 sprigs of green onion cut into 2" segments
1/2 cup Sea salt
2" piece of ginger peeled and minced
3 large cloves of garlic peeled and minced
1/2 white onion julienned
1/2 cup Red chilli powder
1/8 cup sweet rice powder
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fish sauce or tamari (vegan alternative)
Cut the cabbage into bite size pieces, soak in a large bowl of cold water for couple minutes and drain. Add salt to the cabbage and mix well. Let stand for thirty minutes. Mix the cabbage and salt mixture again. Let stand for another thirty minutes. Now rinse the salt out of your cabbage in the sink and drain. Repeat two more times.
In a sauce pan mix rice powder with water with a whisk. Bring to a boil and continue to whisk as the mixture thickens like porridge. Add sugar and whisk till fully incorporated. Remove from heat and place saucepan in an ice bath to cool.
Once the rice porridge is cooled, add ginger, garlic, chilli powder and fish sauce. Stir well. Add carrot, radish and green onions to the rice porridge mixture. Mix well.
In a large bowl, mix to large handfuls of cabbage with a handful of the rice porridge veggie mixture. Place this is a large jar or storage container. Repeat with the remainder of the cabbage and rice porridge mixture. Seal the jar or container with lid. Store in fridge for a savory kimchi or leave at room temperature for a sour kimchi. It's best to ferment for a week or longer before consuming.
Enjoy 😉
