Kimchi (summer baechu kimchi)

Kimchi is popular side dish in Korea made with Napa
cabbage that goes through a fermentation process.

 Kimchi, in particular, is rich in vitamins A and C, and due to its fermentation process is also rich in beneficial gut-boosting lactobacilli bacteria. ... Accordingly, kimchi can be considered a vegetable probiotic food that contributes health benefits in a similar manner as yogurt as a dairy probiotic food." Journal of Medicinal Food January 2014

To improve the digestion of  meat dishes or heavy starch foods serve them with Kimchi :)

Ingredients:

For salting cabbage 

1 big Napa cabbage (3-4 lbs.)

1/2 cup coarse salt 

(if you don't have coarse salt, regular salt is OK but use 2 tablespoons less)

Vegetables

3 green onions, thin sliced

1 cup of julienne cut Korean white radish (optional)

For rice paste:

2 tablespoons sweet rice flour

1 cup water

For seasonings and spices

1 tablespoon garlic (6-8 cloves), minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

3-5 tablespoons red pepper powder depending on how spicy you would like it

2 teaspoons sugar, optional

1-1½ tablespoon. fish sauce or 1 tablespoon. coarse salt (for vegan option also can add ¼ asian pear, ½ cup pumpkin puree)

Directions:

Cut cabbage into bite size pieces.  Start by cutting in half about one third of the way down from the top and them pull it apart into two halves.  Now repeat with each half. This will make 4 pieces for one head of cabbage.  Now cut into pieces about 1 1/2 inches wide - like in the picture below.  (If you find brown spots inside your cabbage, trim them off.  The cabbage is still good to use, just don't use the brown parts.)

Rinse and drain  the cabbage and place in a big bowl.  Sprinkle the salt on it and toss so that salt is evenly spread throughout the cabbage.  This helps to pull moisture from the cabbage and it begins to wilt.

Cover with lid or towel to hold the moisture and to keep out air-born contaminants.  Let it sit for 3-4 hours.  Stir it occasionally and watch for the cabbage to become soft.  You will notice that the water being pulled from the cabbage is gathering in the bottom of the bowl.  It will be ready when the green leaf part of the cabbage is very soft and wilted, but the firmer white part of the cabbage stalk is softer, but will still snap when folded on itself.

Meanwhile, make the rice flour paste.  Combine sweet rice flour and water in a small sauce pan.  Mix well with a whisk.  Consistently stir it while cooking over medium heat.  It will slowly thicken to a medium thick paste as it heats.  It will take 1-2 minutes.  Let it cool. 

After the rice paste has cooled, add all the following ingredients: red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, or salt, mix well.

 Cut radish into thin discs and then julienne cut those discs.  Slice green onions.

Combine the radish and green onions to the seasoned rice paste and mix well.  Set aside.

When cabbage is ready (tender and soft), rinse it several times with cold water.  Drain well in the strainer.

In a big mixing bowl, combine cabbage, rice paste mixture and mix well.

 

Put it in a jar or container with a loose fitting lid - It should not be airtight.  Leave it at room temperature for 2-3 days, depending on room temperature.  The warmer the room temperature, the faster the kimchi ferments.  When bubbles start rising through the brine, store in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.  It will stay in the fridge for a couple months.

*You can eat it fresh right away before fermentation, or you can wait until it is fully fermented.

*Never throw away old kimchi.  Old kimchi is the best for kimchi pancake (kimchi buchimgae) or kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae).