Baechu Gimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi)

How much do we love Kimchi? The first batch was completely finished within less than a week and I've already made another batch as my hubby given thumbs up for my homemade Kimchi and requested for more. Surprisingly even my 7 year old son find this pungent fermented cabbage tasty ^0^ and I simply enjoy eating this with just a bowl of plain rice.

Napa cabbage after soaking in brine

Ref from Mrs Teng's Blog & Maangchi.com

Ingredient

• 1 large Napa Cabbage (approx 1.1kg)
• 1 cup shredded radish
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup spring onion, cut into long sections
• 1/2 cup Chinese chives, cut into long sections
• 3/4 cup salt (set aside 4 tsp for radish, carrot, spring onion & chives)

Method

1. Cut the cabbage in half, then slit each half through the core without cutting through the rest of the leaves.
2. Submerge each piece in cold water and sprinkle salt over each of the leaf, especially the stem. set aside for 2 hours.
3. 2 hours later, turn the pieces of cabbage over so they get salted evenly, rest for another 2 hours. The cabbage will look softer than before and it should have shrunk.
4. Sprinkle each of the shredded vegetables with 1 tsp salt each, set aside for about 1 hour.
5. Rinse the cabbage and shredded vegetables thoroughly (3 times) and squeeze out the excessive water. 

The ingredients for making the Pepper Paste

Korean chilli pepper

Adding in the shredded vegetables into the chilli paste

Ingredients for Pepper Paste

• 6 shallots
• 10 cloves garlic
• 5 cm ginger
• 6 tbsp Korean red pepper powder
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour mixed with 5 tbsp boiling water
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 Korean pear, peeled & cored
• 1/4 cup water

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend till fine.
2. Transfer the chilli paste into a mixing bowl.
3. Add in shredded vegetables and mix well.
4. Working from the outside of the cabbage, generously rub the cabbage with chilli paste mixture until each of every leaves are well coated with chilli paste.
5. Place the cabbage in a clean air-tight container and let if ferment in a cool dark corner for 24 hours before refrigerating the kimchi.

All ready to ferment!

Lovely homemade Kimchi along with grilled mackerel and miso soup

I am linking this post to Asian Food Fest : Korea ( April 2014 ) hosted by Feats off Feasts