I finally bought some authentic Korean pepper flakes to make kimchi. It’s an overcast day, so it’s a good time to try it out. (With the flu going around again, the timing is perfect).

What does kimchi have to do with the flu? Well, technically, it’s just food, and according to the FDA, it can not cure disease. However, kimchi is loaded with beneficial bacteria that can strengthen your immune system. It is a great food to consume regularly to ensure that the population of “good bacteria” (probiotics) outnumbers the pathogenic bacteria and viruses in your body.

Kimchi contains digestive enzymes; it can prevent bloating and heartburn.
It also happens to be DELICIOUS!! Though I must admit, it was an acquired taste. It did take me some time to get used to it. Now I love it. I eat it every day.

There are many different types of kimchi. Over the next few months, I hope to make other varieties. This time I used what I had in the fridge. The Napa cabbage was too small to make a large batch of kimchi, and I didn’t have all the ingredients to make the “water kimchi” with the Daikon radish. So, I just combined them to make my version.

Recipe
1 small Napa Cabbage
1/2 small Daikon Radish
1/2 cup shredded carrots
handful of green onions
1 inch of ginger root (peeled and grated)
4 cloves of garlic (peeled and grated)
2 TBS Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp of Korean red pepper flakes

1. Sterilize your equipment and wash your veggies. (I use boiling water to sterilize the equipment and a vinegar/water mix for the veggies. Sometimes, I time it so the bowl, knife, and mason jar come straight out of the dishwasher).
   
2. Shred your Napa cabbage in a large bowl. I do this first and add the 2 TBS of salt so the brine can form while I prepare the other vegetables. (I used to use a food processor, but I don’t anymore. When I use a food processor, the cabbage shreds into tiny pieces. The small pieces are problematic because the cabbage pieces float into the brine. Now I shred the cabbage by hand, using kitchen shears to cut the thicker pieces.) Set aside two cabbage leaves for later.
   
3. Peel and shred the carrots. Add the 1/2 cup to the bowl.
   
4. Peel the ginger root and garlic. Shred and add to the bowl. (I mince them in my magic bullet). It is a lot faster than doing it by hand).
   
5. Slice the green onions into small slices and add them to the bowl.
   
6. Peel the Daikon radish, cut it into small cubes, and add them to the bowl.
   
7. At this point, the brine has probably already started to form. If not, you can make a brine separately. You do this by squeezing the shredded cabbage. The salt will draw water out of the vegetables. Keep mixing until you have a fair amount of brine. (You will need enough to cover the vegetable mixture in the mason jar).
   
8. Add 1 tsp of hot pepper flakes. (You can use regular chili flakes; the kimchi won’t be as spicy).
   
9. Place the vegetable mixture into a mason jar, one handful at a time. Push down hard each time, covering the veggies with brine. (Be sure to leave some room at the top of the jar).
   
10. Take one of the cabbage leaves, fold it in half, and push down on the cabbage mixture. Push down hard, removing most of the air. You want to have around an inch of brine on top of the jar, covering the vegetables. This step is important. (The vegetables that stay submerged under the brine will ferment properly and are preserved by the lactic acid produced by the lactobacteria from the cabbage leaves. If the vegetables do not stay submerged under the brine, they will spoil).
    
11. Place a weight on top of the cabbage leaf. You can use a sterilized stone, a smaller jar, etc. (I have used a smaller jar filled with marbles before. Currently, I use a few glass weights I bought on Amazon).
    Yes, I DO have a kimchi pot, but I usually ferment in small mason jars. I use these lids I bought on Amazon. I have made kimchi and sauerkraut without special lids. It works fine as long as the veggies stay under the brine. However, I have found that the lids help to prevent mold. If mold forms, I don’t eat it. I have never had mold form with kimchi.
    
    Let it ferment for about a week, then move it to the fridge. The taste improves with age.

Tip – Use sea salt to make kimchi, not regular table salt. It’s not the same. Sea salt has minerals that will help in the fermentation process.

Some people use starter probiotic cultures. I don’t usually use them. I will often save some sauerkraut or kimchi juice and add a little bit, but not always. Some people claim it helps them obtain consistent results. If it makes you feel better, that is another option.

I once was concerned I would not know if my cultured veggie spoiled. I had a batch of Lacto-fermented pickles spoil once. The pickles smelled horrible; it was clear they were poiled. (The weight was not heavy enough, so they did not stay under the brine. It was gross). Keep the veggies under the brine, and “when in doubt throw it out”. It might help to start with a shorter ferment and work your way up. That is what I did.

Have you ever made kimchi? Do you have any special tips?