I’ve only tried about a dozen versions of kimchi in my lifetime. Obviously, I’m not a connoisseur – however, I do know what I like when I taste it!

When we were in Tokyo, we bought a container of kimchi from the Seven-Eleven. (Seven-Elevens are to Tokyo what Wawas are to the Philadelphia area – one on every corner.) By far, it was my favorite of the kimchis I had tried.

The ginger and garlic were well balanced, perfect for a light snack or a compliment to dinner. Fresh and simple, it tasted homemade.

The recipe below is reminiscent of the one we experienced in Tokyo. The only difference was that the one in Japan was redder in color – perhaps powdered red pepper was used instead of flakes.

Heat-wise, this recipe is just right. It’s spicy enough to make me reach for a beverage, but not so hot that it takes my breath away or ruins the flavor of everything else I eat for the next week!

Kimchi

Recipe from The Accidental Scientist (< -Check out this website! Lots of interesting facts about food are waiting to be discovered here!): [caption id="attachment_7729" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Kimchi made from this recipe, fermenting in my fridge![/caption]

Koreans possess a passionate fondness for kimchi, serving this spicy fermented pickled vegetable dish at most meals. While many other types of pickles (such as store-bought cucumber dill pickles) are fermented in a prepared salty solution, kimchi ferments in the vegetables it their own juices. Although there are scores of varieties, kimchi is usually made primarily from cabbage.

2 1/2 pounds napa cabbage (if smaller, reduce amount of salt slightly)
1/2 cup kosher salt
a walnut-sized knob of ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch scallions, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons crushed red chili pepper
2 jalapenos, minced fine
fish sauce to taste (my addition to this recipe… I like about 1/4 c. in mine)

a glass or plastic bowl
2 to 3 1-pint sterilized glass canning jars
Plastic wrap and rubber bands OR Loosely sealed lid, so as to allow the fermentation gasses to “burp” — NOTE: you do NOT want a metal lid to touch the kimchi

1. Wash the cabbage, then chop it coarsely. Toss it in a glass bowl with the salt and let it sit overnight.

2. Drain the water off the cabbage and rinse it very well to remove the excess salt.

3. In a large glass or plastic bowl (don’t use metal), mix together the ginger, chili peppers, jalapenos and scallions. Then, add the well-drained cabbage. Toss the ingredients thoroughly to coat the vegetables. Save the juice that accumulates in the bottom of the bowl.

4. Pack the mixture tightly in sterile glass jars and cover with the juice. Add water if necessary to achieve 3/4-inch headroom. Cover the tops of the jars with plastic wrap, secured with a rubber band. Keep the kimchi in the refrigerator for 3 days before eating.

Follow-up:

After this batch of Kimchi sat in our fridge for a few days and turned into fermented goodness, we decided to serve some with lunch this afternoon. Leah, my youngest, kept wanting more. When she came back for thirds, she made sure to blow on it before eating. :D