Quick Kimchi
This recipe is pretty fast considering that it will provide you with 3 quarts of kimchi… enough for several weeks of probiotic, immune-supporting goodness! Also, half an hour and $20 today will yield you $60 worth of kimchi in a few weeks. Invest in kimchi!
Ingredients
- 2 cabbages (around 4-5 pounds)
- 10 carrots (around 1 pound)
- 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 bulbs garlic
- ¼ cup peeled ginger
- ¼ cup fermented fish sauce
- ½ cup sambal oelek or other chili sauce
- 2 Tablespoons or more salt
Instructions
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Halve and core cabbages and cut each half into several pieces. Grate using a food processor or by hand. Remove carrot tips and stems and, if needed, peel. Grate. Grate onion, ginger, and garlic (use a garlic press if grating by hand). Combine all vegetables in a large bowl and add fish sauce, chili sauce, and salt. Stir very well for 5 or more minutes, then taste. You should be able to taste the salt to ensure a healthy fermentation. If you cannot taste the salt, add more, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you can. If you’re not sure, err on the side of more salt rather than less.
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Transfer to a 1-gallon bucket and place in a 1.75-quart pyrex straight-sided bowl on top of the vegetables. Weigh down with a 1-quart mason jar half full of water; the kimchi liquid should rise above the vegetables but not be at risk of overflow. Adjust the amount of water in your jar as needed. Cover with a clean towel and place in a cupboard where it will not be disturbed.
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Every few days, check the kimchi liquid level and adjust the amount of water in the mason jar to maintain the water seal. After 3 weeks, your kimchi will start to mellow and taste great. Remove one pint at a time to your fridge, while you let the rest continue to ferment.
