Kimchi (Korean Spicy Pickled Cabbage) YUM!

This takes a few days, but it is worth the wait! Kimchi has been a favorite since college when we found our first Korean grocery and restaurant! 

********************************

1 Large head of Nappa Cabbage
Salt
4 green onions
large garlic clove
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
~1/2 cup crushed red pepper
~1/2 cup ground cayenne pepper
***************************
Cut cabbage up into 1-inch squares. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt, mix well and let sit until it starts to wilt noticeably. I gave it about 15 minutes after I started mixing it actively.

After it wilts, rinse, at least three times. Taste a nice crunchy piece. You should taste salt, but not be overwhelmed by it.

Mix with all the other ingredients, and an additional 2 tablespoons of salt. Add enough water to cover cabbage. Cover container and let stand for about a week.

Taste mixture each day. When it has become spicy and acidic, it's done! Cover well and refrigerate. It should keep at least two weeks, if you don't eat it all right away! 

Napa Cabbage, salt and some yummy additions.

Cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces.

one inch squares, roughly

Chop, chop, chop

maybe a little big...

Add salt to cut pieces.

Keep chopping.

Very full container. This is a 33 cup Rubbermaid container.

Too messy.. see the salt all over the stove? I need a better place to mix freely.

OK, a clean sink will do the trick!

Plenty of space! :)

After mixing for about 15 minutes, you can see how it's wilting.

Rinse well, three times.

Very nicely wilted.

Rinse, rinse

Soak and rinse some more.

Mix-ins.... green onion, garlic, ginger, salt, crushed red pepper

See how it's wilted and takes up less than half the space that it did before?

Add in the vegetables.

2 Tablespoons salt

Crushed red pepper, 1/4 cup (it may not be enough), I'll let you know if we need more. Here I suggest 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup ground red pepper (cayenne)

Mix well.

Add enough water to cover. I used 5 cups.

Just enough to cover...

It needs to be covered, but not tightly with a fitting lid. It will ferment a bit and it may pop the lid off. I used plastic wrap and then foil.

Foil over the plastic. Do not use foil alone. The salt will eat through foil... Chemistry and all that stuff...

You are supposed to be able to age this on a counter, but I prefer cooled. Do I have room for this container in my fridge? Not on your life!! It's going to be 33 degrees tonight. It's outside on the deck table. :) I'll give you a daily update as it matures. Stay tuned...

After 24 hours.... Not spicy enough. I added a couple Tablespoons of ground cayenne pepper.

The juice is looking nice and spicy, but the cabbage itself is still too sweet. I'm going to add more ground cayenne pepper. Maybe another 2 tablespoons.

Yes, I mix it with my hands..... They really are the BEST tools we have!

Sprinkled cayenne all around.

OK, all mixed in. We'll come back again tomorrow night and taste it again... I will adjust the recipe above to reflect the added pepper I've added.

Thursday night. Still can taste the underlying sweetness of the cabbage.

This is Saturday Afternoon. I did not get a chance to try it last night. Remember, I have this outside. It was pouring rain... So, just now when I checked it, I notice the distinct smell rising from the container as I unwrap. Now, I don't mean an "odor". It's a good smell! Kind of like how you can tell a cucumber from a pickle by the smell. I've opened it up and stirred it. And taste... Oh, finally!! The bite, and the tingle in the throat, from the heat of the peppers. It's come SO far in the last 30 hours. It's lost the sweet and gained the heat. I bet tomorrow will be the perfect day..... :D I started this Monday evening... It's now Saturday afternoon. So, if it's perfect tomorrow, that will be six days. I bet Monday, it'll be even better. Let's call it an even week.