Make Kimchi at Home!

Makes: 2 quarts

Takes: 1 hour

Costs: ~$15

Ingredients:

2 large or 3 small napa cabbages

1 ounce sea salt by weight or 4 teaspoons

1 cup Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru) or 1/3 cup each of organic cayenne, ancho, and medium roast

chili powder

1 ounce ginger by weight or 1/4 cup thinly sliced

1 garlic bulb

2 onions

Equipment:

Knife

Cutting board

Measuring cup and spoons

Pounding tool

Spatula

Large mixing bowl

Food processor or blender

Canning jars and lids

Kitchen scale (optional)

Latex gloves (optional)

Step-by-Step:

1. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters. Remove the core, but cut and use the edible portions in the recipe. Cut each quarter into 1-inch-wide strips.
2. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add the salt. Use your hands and/or a pounding tool (meat tenderizer, rolling pin, etc.) to massage the salt into the cabbage and allow it to release its moisture. Put it aside and let it stand for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the paste by rough cutting the garlic, ginger, and onions and combining them in a food processor or blender. Blend briefly. After an initial processing of the other ingredients, blend in the chili flakes or powder to made a smooth paste.
4. Using gloved hands (optional), combine the cabbage and paste in the large mixing bowl. Mix until the two are thoroughly combined.
5. Pack kimchi into canning jar, pressing it down as you go to allow the brine to rise above the vegetables. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace and seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid.
6. Let the kimchi ferment at room temperature for three to nine days (depending on the temperature). For the first three days, open the lid and press down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine and to release the fermentation gases. Check the kimchi daily to track the fermentation process and identify the taste and texture you like best.
7. When the kimchi tastes just right, put it in the refrigerator. It will keep at this temperature for at least several month (opinions vary), though the taste will change over time.

Want to learn more and see this process in action with Mara and Willow from Ozuké? View the Hatch Lab video now. In just 30 minutes, you’ll know exactly how to make kimchi at home with confidence!

Relephant Read: 

Start Seeds Indoors Now for a Better Veggie Patch Later. {Bonus Video}

Author: Mara Rose

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: Christina Kiffney Photography