Making Kimchi is like Making Beer...

...there are no shortcuts.

I found this stellar recipe for Traditional Napa Cabbage Kimchi in the December 2011 issue of Food and Wine. This recipe is adapted from the hostess of Kimchi Chronicles, Marja Vongerichten. I'll have to check out that TV series. I was on the interview trail and finally gave in and bought a magazine.  It was full of great articles and recipes; and I held onto it as I trekked around the Midwest.  I even created a "bucket list" of some sorts just from the one issue alone.  So far I've attempted the kimchi. I'd like to try making the Sweet and Sour Pork Shoulder.

Back to the Kimchi. I tried making Cucumber Kimchi about a year ago but found no direction on how to perfect it.  The cucumber soggified by the time it tasted right.  I tried this recipe for the more common cabagge kimchi, and it came out almost perfect. I felt I could work with it.

Attempt #1 (as pictured in previous post):

• Came out almost perfect.  I followed the recipe almost exactly....
• My only variation that day (as I was juggling another new recipe for dinner that night) was I let the kimchi soak in the salt a lot longer than the suggested 45 minutes x 2. And I just rinsed it in the bowls they soaked in.
• Result: Perfect bite. Not spicy enough!

Attempt #2 (My Christmas Kimchi):

• ~doubled the amount of Korean red pepper powder to 1 1/4 cups.
• Had all my ingredients in the fridge for a few days before I made it. (In retrospect, the cabbage was a little soggy to begin with.)
• Used warm water to rinse the salt from my cabbage.
• Salt soak exactly 45 minutes x 2.
• Result: No bite.  Adequately spicy. A bit too sweet. Dry.

Attempt #3 (Practice makes perfect?!):

• Used fresh ingredients.
• Stuck with the 1 1/4 cups of Korean red pepper powder.
• Used cold water only. Rinsed about 3 times in the bowl they soaked in.
• Salt soak 1 hour x 2.
• Result: ... will update in 2 days! I hope this one is it! 

Attempt #4 (This is it!):

• Used fresh ingredients.
• 1 1/4 cups of Korean red pepper powder.
• Used cold water only. Rinsed about 3 times in the bowl they soaked in.
• Salt soak 45 min x 2.
• Result: Perfect bite and heat!
• The key was buying quality Korean red pepper powder (Gochugaru).  Look for the kind that is Made in Korea!

INGREDIENTS:

6 1/2 lbs napa cabbage: halved, cored and cut into 2 inch pieces

2/3 cup of kosher salt

10 garlic cloves, halved

1/2 small onion, chopped

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup + 3 tbsp of fish sauce

1/2 lb of daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks

2 bunches of scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean coarse red pepper powder)

DIRECTIONS:

1) In two large bowls (or a massively large bowl), create layers of the cabbage and salt. Let stand for 45 minutes.  Toss cabbage well and let stand for another 45 minutes. The salt will draw out the water from the cabbage and you should be left with cabbage that looks like about half the amount you started with.

2) Rinse salt from cabbage under cold water, about 3 times. Drain the cabbage in a colander and transfer back into the bowl you used or a larger bowl (if you have one).

3) In a mini food processor (I used my magic bullet), puree the garlic, onion, ginger, and sugar.

4) Add the fish sauce and pulse a few times.

5) Add the daikon and green onion to your cabbage.

6) Mix the puree and red pepper powder into the cabbage mixture. (It gets messy! Use gloves)

7) Lightly pack the kimchi into three 1-quart jars (found mine at walmart).

8) Press plastic wrap to the surface of the kimchi and put the caps on loosely.

9) Let stand at room temperature for 3 days. Kimchi should have a good bite and smell of wonderful garlic.

10) Store in refrigerator tightly sealed (or everything in your fridge will be kimchi-efied)