Inexpensive, Healthy & Tasty: Korean Kimchi and Rice

[Rozzer]

There are hundreds of different kinds of kimchi, using different vegetables and different herbs and spices. Korean families each have their own traditional family recipe. The ones with which most people are familiar are cabbage-based (Napa cabbage) and are all sweet, spicy and sour (if you let the kimchi ferment long enough). In other words, delicious.

I became familiar with kimchi when I lived for several years in Asia a very long time ago. My wife and I now make a batch every month or so and keep it in the fridge. When we want a fast and healthy meal, we rustle up some rice (white or brown), dump a ladle of kimchi on top and enjoy ourselves.

Tips:

Don't be fooled by the original quantity of salt included. The salt is for fermenting and is ultimately washed off. I have high blood pressure and have to pay strict attention to salt quantities. And you can pretty much throw in whatever vegetables you have lying around together with the cabbage. The kochukaru (chili powder) can be bought in pretty much any little asian food store. Feel free to adjust the quantity to your liking. Two tablespoons may be too much if you're really not into hot, spicy food. If we don't have kochukaru, we substitute a pure ancho chili powder we keep in stock because we like making (and eating) Tex-Mex chili too. If you use standard chili powder (what you most often see in American supermarkets), keep in mind that they're all mixes of several spices, including some you may not really want in your kimchi. Under no circumstances try to substitute cayenne for the kochukaru: Way too hot!!!

Basic Kimchi

1/4 measuring cup fine sea salt
1 pound napa cabbage cut into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick
1/2 pound daikon (big Asian radish) peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
4 medium garlic cloves coarsely chopped
4 scallions sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 tablespoon coarsely grated fresh ginger
3 fresh red chiles thinly sliced
2 tablespoon korean red chile powder (kochukaru), optional
1 quart water, warmed

Directions:

In a large glass bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Add the cabbage, carrot and daikon. Cover with a plate..
Set a sheet of plastic wrap on the plate and top with a heavy pot to keep the vegetables submerged..
Let stand at room temperature until the vegetables are covered with 1 inch of liquid, 2 hours..
Pour off the liquid and reserve it. Lightly rinse the vegetables in a colander, then drain. Transfer the vegetables to a clean large bowl..
Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, red chiles and chile powder and toss well..
Tightly pack the vegetables into a wide-mouthed 1-quart jar; add enough of the reserved liquid to cover. Using a chopstick, poke out any air bubbles..
Press a small bowl on top of the vegetables to keep them submerged. Cover loosely. Let stand in a cool place for 5 days, adding more reserved liquid as needed to keep the vegetables covered..
Discard any liquid and seal the jar. Refrigerate the kimchi for up to 1 month..
Tips & Notes:
Makes 1 quart.

[KarenB]

We live a very small town. The convenience store is run by Koreans. My husband comes home with a small pail of kimchi once in a while. He relishes every bite.

[Rozzer]

We live a very small town. The convenience store is run by Koreans. My husband comes home with a small pail of kimchi once in a while. He relishes every bite.

Well, you know that Korean folks are pretty much all over now. They may be moving on from their Korean groceries and vegetable stores in metropolitan areas, but out here in the boondocks they do still own the majority of vegetable stands. And at those vegetable stands they sell their own varieties of prepared kimchi. Which are very good and very interesting but can easily be tweaked in a variety of attractive ways by people who make their own kimchi. A little less salt here, the addition of a different spice there, kimchi is really a musical instrument on which many tunes can be played. And eaten with brown rice kimchi is a very healthy and tasty dish. Worth exploring!