Kimchi

File this under “foods I eat when I’ve had too much sugar”. Or “foods I eat all the time because they’re delicious”. Both work. Kimchi has become one of my favorite foods over the past few years – so much so that I had to start making my own because my kimchi habit was costing me a fortune! It’s a good thing I did, because now I get to enjoy both the eating of kimchi and the process of making it. Win-win.

Kimchi Background and Resources

Kimchi, if you’re not familiar with it, is a spicy fermented cabbage, most often used as a side dish or condiment. If you’ve had sauerkraut, this is a similar concept, though spicier (and more delicious, in my opinion, though sauerkraut is quite tasty too). Kimchi is a staple food in Korea, and dates as far back as 37BC! It is traditionally made in the winter, then stored in ceramic pots buried in the ground. Check out the Wikipedia article here for more history and fun facts (and if anyone knows of a great book on the history of kimchi, please let me know – I’m completely fascinated).

Here are a couple of great kimchi-related cookbooks I’ve come across as well. Both are good resources for getting starting on your kimchi journey. The first, Asian Pickles, has the first recipe that I used. I’ve since tweaked, adapted, and added to it, but it’s a solid recipe to start with. The second, The Kimchi Cookbook, has several different types of kimchi recipes – great for once you’re ready to branch out.

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Nutrition and Ingredients

Kimchi is full of health benefits. It is high in fiber and iron, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, and C. As a fermented food, it’s a great source of probiotics – so good for gut health! It’s also a low-cal way to add a punch of flavor to your favorite foods – stir fry, eggs, tacos, sandwiches, soups and stews – basically anything you want to add it to, you can.

Kimchi is more of a technique than an exact recipe. There are countless ways to make it, and an endless array of ingredient options. Basic kimchi consists of Napa cabbage and a spicy chili paste that you mix with it. From there, you can add just about any vegetable you like. Some of my favorites are bok choy, carrots, and green onions. Radishes (daikon or other types), bell peppers, and other kinds of cabbage are great additions as well. Basically you can add any crunchy veg to it (I’d stay away from veggies with high water content like zucchini).

For the chili paste, there are a few unique ingredients you will definitely want to have. You’ll need gochugaru chili flakes, gochujang sauce, and sweet rice flour. If you’re lucky enough to have an Asian grocery store near you, you’ll be able to find these ingredients there. Since I live in the frozen tundra of Northern Minnesota, I typically have to order mine online. I’ve used two different brands of gochugaru: this one and this one. Both are good, but note that the second one is a 2lb package – might be overkill if you’re just starting out. This is my favorite brand of gochujang (I like that it doesn’t contain MSG or high fructose corn syrup, plus it’s just really tasty). I’ve been using Bob’s Red Mill’s sweet rice flour.

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Supplies For Making Kimchi

Now let’s talk equipment. Kimchi is one of the easiest foods to ferment, and you don’t actually need any special equipment to make it. This recipe uses the full-leaf method of making kimchi (which means you leave the cabbage leaves intact while it ferments), so I ferment it all in one big container, then cut it up and pack it in jars after fermentation. I use this fermenting crock, and I love it, but you can improvise with items you already have in your kitchen. Before I bought my crock, I fermented my kimchi in the ceramic insert for my crock pot. As you can see below, I still use it for part of the process. Any large ceramic or glass container will work, as long as you can fit a cutting board or plate inside the top to weigh down the kimchi.

Another option is to cut the cabbage up before fermentation, mix it with the sauce, and pack it tightly into jars to ferment. If you do that, you’ll want something like these jar weights to weigh down the kimchi (this helps keep it submerged in the brine to prevent mold).

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For storage after fermenting, I simply use canning jars, though any container will work. Note: you DON’T want to seal your kimchi jars tightly like you would other canned items – as a fermented food it has active bacteria that are continually letting off gasses, so sealing your jars too tightly could cause an explosion! And since your jars won’t be sealed, you’ll need to keep your kimchi refrigerated once it’s fermented.

Make it fun!

Okay, I know this all sounds like a lot, but kimchi is really not complicated to make. If it sounds intimidating, consider making it with a friend or two to lighten the load. This recipe makes a LOT of kimchi – about 10-14 pints, depending on how many extra veggies you add – so it’s a great one to make communally then split up the batch. Plus it’s just way more fun to make with friends. Make a day of it and enjoy good company and a snack or two while you cook. My kimchi partner in crime and I have a tradition of enjoying an espresso break while we wait for the salted cabbage to rest (a great excuse for coffee and treats!). Feel free to do the same.

So, grab your ingredients, supplies, and a friend, and start making your own kimchi. You’ll be so glad you did!