2 kls. Napa Cabbage
Salt
For making porridge:
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (brown sugar or white sugar)
Vegetables:
- 1 cup radish matchsticks
- 1 cup carrot matchsticks
- Chopped onions (referably white onions-but we use red one because the white onion was not available)
- 2 garlic cloves (big) minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 cup hot pepper powder
Prepare and salt the cabbage:
1. Wash the cabbage thoroughly…first with cold water, then running water.. cut a short slit of the base of the cabbage so that you can tear the cabbage into half easily.
2. Sprinkle the salt between the leaves. Use more salt closer to the stems, where the leaves are thicker.
3. Let the cabbages rest for 2 hours. Turn over every 30 minutes, so they will get salted well.
4. After 2 hours, wash the cabbage with cold running water and slit the cabbage again into halves.
While the cabbage is salting for 2 hours, and in between the times you’re turning it over, you can make the porridge and slice the vegetables.
To make the porridge:
1. Combine the water and the flour in a cooking pan. Mix well and let it cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. When it thickens, add the sugar and cook for 1 more minute while continuously stirring. Let it cool off completely for several minutes.
2. To make kimchi paste, pour cooled porridge into a large mixing bowl. Add garlic, ginger, onion ( I use blender so combine the mixture, creating a smooth mixture), fish sauce and hot pepper powder. (other use hot pepper flakes)
3. Mix well with the wooden spoon until the mixture turns into a thin paste.
4. Add the radish, carrot,(thiny sliced) and scallions (we forgot about this..huhuhuhu. but still it turned out delicious) because this was not available in our kitchen. Then mix well altogether.
Lastly, to make the kimchi:
1. Spread some kimchi paste on each cabbage leaf. Make sure that every leaf is covered with paste, wrap it around itself into a small packet, and put into a glass or plastic container. ( I prefer plastic one)
2. You can opt to garnish sesame seeds and yeah, you can eat it right away. Delish!!!
NOTE:
1. The kimchi easily ferments at room temperature. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, you can press the top of the kimchi to release bubbles(air) beneath.
2. Once it starts to ferment, store it in the refrigerator . (I prefer to let it ferment overnight then I put it in the ref to chill). This slows down the fermentation process, which will make the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.
You may try our very own recipe using ingredients that you can easily find in your own kitchen. Thank you very much and enjoy your kimchi!
