Baechu Kimchi

Recipe for Korea`s National Dish

Kimchi is Korea`s national dish made of spicy seasoned and fermented vegetables. Koreans eat it at nearly every meal, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Classically, it is fermented Chinese cabbage, radish, spring onions and cucumber, but you can use almost any vegetable and even fruit (e.g. pears). Traditionally, a daikon (Korean radish) is used, but a European one tastes just as good.

Preparation time approx. 1 hour (without waiting time).

Ingredients:

1 large Chinese leaf cabbage (approx. 700 - 900 g)
50 g fine sea salt
1 white radish (approx. 300g)
5 spring onions
4 garlic cloves
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger
2 tablespoons red chilli flakes Gochu garu (alternatively Yidu or Xian Chillies)
1 heaped teaspoon sugar
4 tbsp premium fish sauce

Instructions:

Salting
Remove the outer leaves from the Chinese cabbage and cut into the stalk from the bottom to about halfway and then separate the leaves using your fingers. Again, cut the stalk of the halves from below and separate the leaves. Place the quarters (5-10 min) in a bowl of cold water. Drain well and then rub the individual leaves generously with salt, using more salt towards the stalk. Put everything in an empty bowl and leave to soak for 2-3 hours. Turn the leaves every 30 minutes.

Preparing the Kimchi marinade
Peel the radish and cut into fine sticks (like matchsticks), as well as the spring onions. Peel and finely chop the ginger and garlic. Mix together with the chilli flakes, fish sauce and sugar and knead into a dark red paste (using gloves) or puree in a blender.

Marinating
Rinse the Chinese cabbage quarters well with cold water to remove the salt, drain and place the outside on a work surface. Wearing gloves (to protect your hands from the chilli) thoroughly massage the paste into the vegetables until all leaves are covered. You can do this with a spoon, but it is less effective.

Fermentation
Then layer the cabbage tightly in a tupperware or sealable freezer bag, pour over the remaining marinade and seal tightly. Leave at room temperature (20°C) for 2 to 3 days. Fermentation starts after 1 to 2 days. You may see small bubbles appearing in the kimchi, which shows the vegetables are creating the lactic acid needed to preserve them.
Then taste the kimchi. If it tastes spicy, sour and slightly cheesy with a good umami flavour, it can be transferred to the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.

After another 8-10 days it is ready for consumption. It can be kept in the refrigerator for at least two months.
Kimchi tastes especially good with a few drops of roasted sesame oil and roasted sesame seeds. It is traditionally served with Korean sticky rice.