Think, Eat, Be Healthy

An Easy To Make Fermented Kimchi Recipe

Homemade kimchi is an easy way to add delicious and nutritious fermented vegetables to your healthy whole food diet.

Homemade kimchi is an easy way to add delicious and nutritious fermented vegetables to your healthy whole food diet.

About Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional Korean spicy fermented cabbage dish. This easy kimchi recipe will guide you through the process and put nicely fermented vegetables on the table in about two weeks. This recipe can be fine-tuned to your exact taste and is much cheaper to make at home than to buy at the store.

All fermented kimchi recipes combine two of the oldest food preservation techniques: fermentation and piquant spiciness.  This combination results in a shelf life of 2-3 months at room temperature or up to six months if refrigerated. Kimchi provides live bacterial cultures that promote gut health because it is never heated.

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and raw.

Fresh ginger root, fresh garlic, carrot, onion and chile peppers for kimchi

Fresh ginger root, fresh garlic, carrot, onion and chile peppers for kimchi

Ingredients:

1 large head Napa cabbage                                         1-2 Tablespoons fresh ginger root                     1/2 cup onion(about 1/2 onion)

2-3 Tablespoons sea salt                                               1 1/2-2 1/2 Tablespoons fresh garlic                1 cup green onion(about 1/2 bunch)

3-4 fresh or dried Thai hot chile peppers                 1 small carrot

1/2-2 Tablespoons red chile powder

Equipment:

1 ceramic or glass container with a lid and large opening, such as a 4-5 quart covered casserole; large enough to hold all of the ingredients

1 large mixing bowl large enough to toss all ingredients

Nappa cabbage is the foundation of this fermented kimchi recipe.

Napa cabbage is the foundation of this fermented kimchi recipe.

Make the Kimchi

1. Cut the Nappa cabbage. The size of the pieces will determine the final texture and the time it takes to ferment. Smaller pieces of cabbage will make a softer kimchi in less time. Larger pieces Larger pieces will take longer and make a firmer kimchi. I like to cut 1/2-inch strips across the whole head of cabbage. Place the cut cabbage into the mixing bowl.

2. Cut the fresh chiles into very thin rings or break up the dried chiles into flakes. Thinly slice the carrots, ginger root, garlic cloves and onion. Slice the green onion into 3/4-inch pieces. Add the cut vegetables to the cabbage and toss together well.

3. Sprinkle the sea salt and chile powder over the vegetables. Work the salt and chile into all of the vegetables, tossing and massaging. Transfer all of the ingredients to the covered casserole or jar.

Kimchi ingredients after salting and pressing into the fermenting container.

Kimchi ingredients after salting and pressing into the fermenting container.

4. Press the vegetable down into the fermenting container. They will start to soften and the salt will pull water out of the vegetables. Use the back of your hand to compress the vegetables into the bottom of the container. Let rest for 30 minutes.

5.Repeat the compressing of step 4. There should be enough moisture to just cover all of the vegetables. The vegetables must be completely submerged. Repeat the resting and compressing one more time, if needed.

This kimchi is ready to be covered with plastic wrap.

This kimchi is ready to be covered with plastic wrap.

6. Carefully place a piece of plastic wrap over the container. Press the wrap tightly to the vegetables, starting in the center, trying not to trap any air under the wrap. Press the wrap to the insides of the container.

7. Weight the vegetables with a small plate or other object to continue compressing them and ensure they stay submerged. Place the cover loosely on the fermenting container.

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8. Leave the covered container on a counter at room temperature. Check after 3-4 days: there should be tiny bubbles and larger gas pockets under the wrap.

Fermenting kimchi

Fermenting kimchi

9. Taste test after 1 week from the start of fermentation. Check every other day after that until the kimchi is to your liking. Try to minimize disturbance of the vegetables and exposure to air when checking and tasting.

10. Move the kimchi to clean, sterile jars when it is ready. Refrigerate for the best shelf life.

Why This Recipe Works

This easy fermented kimchi recipe works because the lactobacillus bacteria that do the fermenting already life on and in the vegetables. Lactobacillus prefer a saline(salty) and acidic environment and are anaerobic(do not like contact with oxygen). Once the vegetables are salted and submerged in liquid these “good” bacteria will start digesting the sugars and starches. The kimchi becomes more acidic and CO2 gas is produced as fermentation progresses.

“Bad” bacteria and fungus cannot grow in the kimchi because they are not compatible with the acidic environment and lack of oxygen. The lactobacillus will easily out-compete any other bacteria that are present.

Make kimchi and other fermented foods part of your healthy whole food diet.