Recipe for making Kimchi

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30min + 2-5 days fermenting

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Do you ever crave a real explosion of flavor that elevates your dishes to the next level? Then we urgently need to talk about the absolute king of fermented vegetables: kimchi! This Korean side dish is wildly popular worldwide, and rightly so. It's spicy, deliciously salty, a bit sour, and it’s also packed with healthy bacteria for your gut. But did you know that you don’t have to go to a special Asian supermarket at all? Making kimchi yourself is actually super fun and easy. We are going to make a simple kimchi based on crunchy Chinese cabbage, fresh grated ginger, plenty of garlic, and the iconic gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). My absolute favorite to make with it is a super gooey, cheesy kimchi toast! The combination of the spicy cabbage with melted cheese between two crispy slices of bread is truly beyond delicious. Or I also use it to spice up the sauce of my cheeseburger. Then you get a delightful double Cheese burger with kimchi mayo.

Do you ever crave a real explosion of flavor that elevates your dishes to the next level? Then we urgently need to talk about the absolute king of fermented vegetables: kimchi! This Korean side dish i ...
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Ingredients

What do you need?
Quantity: 1 liter

1 Chinese cabbage
2 tablespoons non-iodized salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
4 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
4 spring onions
1 yellow onion

1 Chinese cabbage
2 tablespoons non-iodized salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
4 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
4 spring onions
1 yellow onion

Preparation method

How do you make this?

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Remove the bottom of the Chinese cabbage and cut the cabbage into 4-centimeter pieces.

Place the chopped cabbage in a large bowl and gently rub the salt all over with your hands. Pour water over it so that everything is submerged and place a plate on top to keep the cabbage down. Wait for 2 hours.

Rinse the cabbage thoroughly in a colander under cold water. Let it drain for 30 minutes.

Mix the ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar into a paste (this can also be done in a blender) and stir in the gochugaru. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Finely chop the spring onions and half an onion and mix them into the chili paste.

Squeeze out the excess moisture from the cabbage and mix the chili paste around the cabbage well by hand. You may want to use disposable gloves, otherwise it can become painful. (Be careful not to rub your eyes after working with chili paste.)

Press the mixture layer by layer into a large jar. Scrape in any leftover sauce so that the cabbage is well submerged. Seal the jar tightly.

Let the kimchi ferment at room temperature for 2 to 5 days. Since the cabbage may expand during fermentation, it's best to place a small plate under the jar to catch any overflow.

Tips

  • If it smells strong, that’s normal. Then you’ve done it right!
  • The kimchi lasts six months in the fridge, and is very tasty with pancakes or an omelet. Be sure to try it in the cheesy waffles as well.
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If you recreated this recipe and it was delicious, definitely share it on social media and tag @sofiedumontchef! I would love that! Enjoy your meal.