Korean Kimchi With Daikon, Cabbage And Hot Red Pepper Flakes

Recipe for six 500mL jars. Use only Korean chili flakes (“gochugaru”) in this recipe, which you can find at Asian supermarkets. There are many brands. I used Bidan, but just make sure the only ingredient is hot pepper. 2 lbs Chinese cabbage, 1 whole daikon radish or several 10 small red radishes, 1 to 2 carrots 1 large onion and/or leeks (white part only, 1 bunch of scallions, or 5 shallots… as many or few as you like.

Brine: 8 cups of water 1/2 cup salt.

Pepper paste: 6 cloves garlic 6 tbsp grated ginger 1 cup Korean red pepper flakes ¼ cup fish sauce .

Intructions:
Chop the cabbage into 1-inch slices crossways. Chop the daikon into rectangular slices about ¼” thick (you want piece that are thin enough to ferment well but won’t disappear into the dish). Chop carrots to match, and slice onions (if you’re using green onions don’t add them yet). Stir salt into water in a very large mixing bowl. Add all chopped vegetables. Leave for at least 4 hours.
In a medium bowl, grate the ginger (you don’t have to peel it unless it’s really old and knobby), grate or mince garlic, and slice scallions or green onions. Add the pepper flakes and fish sauce. Drain the vegetables and taste. They should taste salty, but not so salty that you wouldn’t want to eat it. If too salty, rinse well.

Wearing kitchen gloves, mix vegetables with the ginger-chili paste for 5 minutes, until cabbage softens. Stuff into clean jars. Push down so there’s liquid on top of cabbage. Press parchment or wax paper on top so it touches as much of the surface of the liquid as possible. Set on a tray to catch overflowing juice. Store in a cool place, smelling and tasting daily for 2-4 days. It shouldn’t be overly sour or sparkling or bubbly like wine. If stored in a cool basement (or any colder place) kimchi ferments more slowly and develops more complex flavors. If kimchi appears dry, press down on cabbage to force juices to cover all ingredients. Cover jars with lids and transfer to fridge. Discard parchment or wax paper.

Kimchi keeps for about 6 months. If white mold grows beneath the top layer, discard kimchi. But if mold develops on top, scrape it off and keep the healthful kimchi underneath.

See Recipe in finedininglovers.com