KIMCHI!!

So it's been some time since I've written a blogpost. Well, honestly...its been too long.  A recent conversation with one of my subscribers (Shoutout to Jen!) led me to thing about my blog and remember the intense desire to keep writing blogposts...er- at at least one more...at that... Anywho! If any of y'all know me well, then you know that I love things that take time to make through microorganisms (I.e. wine, yogurt, etc.).  So I thought I'd give a good try at kimchi.

For a little back story, I learned to like kimchi after eating a delicious kimchi taco at choo choo when I worked there.  It wasn't the traditional kimchi taco that they usually sold, but a variation that I made.  It was very delicious and suggest you make it.

Kimchi Taco

Flour Tortilla
Sweet bulgogi meat (I believe hangar steak)
Kimchi
Deep-fried tofu
A mayonnaise-based peach chipotle sauce

Now I'll try to explain Kimchi

Kimchi:
1 Nappa Cabbage (cut into bite-sized pieces 2"x2")
1/2 Korean radish or daikon radish cut into thin strips (2 inches long and 1/4 inch think)
3 green onions (cut diagonally into bite-sized pieces)
Salt for salting the vegis

Sauce:
1-2 cups of powdered korean chili peppers
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 onion
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 - 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 apple or pear
1 Tbsp gochujang chili paste (optional)
1/2 tsp ginger ground or 1 tsp ginger juice
2 tsp rice-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp of old kimchi juice culture

First you need to take the three vegis (cabbage, radish, and green onion) and put them into a large bowl.  Next sprinkle 1 or 2 big handfuls of salt over them and mix well (depends on how teeny your hands are).  Let them sit for 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours or until the vegis are salty and limp.  Drain off the water and then wash the vegis in three changes of water.

Next you have to make the sauce...it's not hard...basically puree the crap out of it in a blender.  You may have to add some water or something. Then place it into the vegis, once they have been thoroughly drained, and mix.  You may have to wear a glove if it's too spicy. Put it in a covered pot like the one in the picture and let it sit out for a day or so.

Lactobacillus Kimchii is the main agent at work pickling and preserving this food, but works along with other bacterium.

Good luck...and remember...there is risk for contamination or spoilage if not done well...so if you're brave enough to try it, then maybe you should also seek other resources. Luckily mine turned out well. I was surprised because I set it in the sun for several hours and actually heard it bubbling like it was supposed to.  It freaked me out, but apparently it worked. 

Good Luck!
;D Kyle!