How do we make Kimchi?

Question

I would love to learn how to make Kimchi, and also know if it is possible to find the ingredients outside of Korea... in the province of Quebec, Canada~~

Answer 1

You can make kimchi in your own home pretty easily, as a matter of fact. If you go to www.recipesource.com, they have a section with Korean recipes. Although most follks think of kimchi only in terms of the chinese cabbage variety, kimchi actually refers to the method of preserving vegetables in a red pepper spiced mixture. I currently live in Seoul, and kimchi is made with just about any vegetable you can imagine. There is even a white variety, made without the chili powder, and with slivers of hot peppers instead. It's actually pretty mild stuff. Anyway, at RecipeSource you will find some good basic recipes to start with. From the cabbage you can branch out to the big white radishes, even green onions. They are all pretty good along with the regular cabbage variety- and made with the same basice spice mixture. If you have a korean or oriental market nearby, you can even find spice packets all done up for you and all you need to do is add the salted and soaked veggie of choice. They will also have the dried red peppers they use here, but lacking that you can use a quality crushed red pepper and chili powder. You can control the amount of heat by adding more or less pepper to taste. It will mellow as it ages, and lose some heat. Be sure to wear gloves while mixing it all up, though, as the peppers can really do a job on your skin. If you decide you like it, and want to get into Korean homecooking as well- look for a book called "Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen" by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall.
Most of the ingredients are normally found in a major supermarket, as it really only requires the chinese or napa cabbage, coarse salt, chili powder, red crushed chilis, or fresh red peppers, and garlic. You can get more exotic recipes that call for dried shrimps and such- but the basic recipe gets you going well enough. Otherwise, you need to make a trip to either a Korean market or oriental food shop. Or check out the sources online for mailorders. You also want a big glass jar to pack it in for storage. It will tend to stain plastic, and eats away at metal. I use a big canning jar to store mine in. I pack it in the jar and leave it on the counter overnight to ferment, then refrigerate it until we want it. It lasts several weeks, and then will go sour or really ferment. You'll know when that happens, don't worry. Koreans make soup and kimchi fried rice with the rinsed out sour kimchi- but I find that is an acquired taste. Check out the recipes listed at RecipeSource to get started, and good luck at the kimchi making.

Answer 2

Mak Kimchee - Bechu Kimchee

Ingredients:
3 heads Napa cabbages (22 1/4 lbs, 10kg)
Salt (4% weight of cabbage)
14 oz(400g) radish 21 oz (600g)
Mix & marinade to make the sauce:
1 1/3 cups of water
2 T flour 2 T salted opossum shrimp
2 T anchovy sauce
2 bunches chives (1 3/4 oz, 50g)
3 green onion 5 1/4 oz (150g)
G round chili pepper 3 1/2 oz (100g)
Sugar 1 3/4 oz (50g)
grated ginger root
2 T crushed garlic (or more)

Directions:
1. Cut the trimmed cabbage heads into 2 or 4 sections and soak them the brine. 2. Cut the radish into thin slices. 3. Wash the oysters and sponge seaweed in slightly salted water.

4. Cut the aromatic vegetables into 2" lengths. 5. Mix the radish strips with the red pepper paste until the peppery red color is set. 6. Mix in all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt, pickled fish juice, and sugar. Finally, the stuffing is ready when the mixture is tossed with the oysters. 7. Pack the stuffing between the layers of leaves, holding back the leaves and layering the stuffing under them.

8. Firmly wrap the stuffed cabbage with the outer leaves; stack them in a crock, cover with the salted coarse leaves (PRELIMINARIES), and press down lightly.

Answer 3

You will need:
2 Napa cabbages or Chinese cabbages
5-10 spring onions
Sea salt or other non-iodized salt, at least 100 g
4 heaped tablespoons (about 20 g) Korean chili powder
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoonfuls sugar, any kind
Tablespoonful Kim chi sauce (if available)
Small piece of ginger (5 g), crushed, or teaspoonful powdered ginger
Half an onion (optional)
Let's begin:
1. Chop cabbage in to desired pieces. put in to a plastic bag. as you go, sprinkle salt on to each layer. then, use your hand to rub the rest of the salt into cabbage pieces evenly.
2. tie the bag, and put it aside for 6 hours. you should check it every 3 hours to make sure it is all right. you want soft cabbage when water squeezed out of it.
3. rinse cabbage, squeeze water out of it. place in a seal-able container.
4. (optional) chop the spring onions into small pieces, crush the garlic and ginger, and dice half an onion. Mix up everything.
5. add Kim chi sauce, and chili powder. depend on your taste.
6. mix with your hand ( best to wear gloves).
7. set in a cool place for 3-4 days. then move to the fridge.
you can also use other veggies.
have fun

Answer 4

try this site