Recipe – Kimchee/ Kimchi

This was on lovethatkimchi.com and I highly recommend checking it out for all things Korean.

Kimchee/ Kimchi

Ingredients
1 long white Napa (Chinese) cabbage, about 1 lb 3 oz
1 cup coarse or pickling salt 5 cups (1 liter) water
1 small long white radish, about 5 oz (160 g), cut in 1 1/2 in (4-cm) julienne strips
4-5 scallion (spring onion), cut in 1 1/2 in (4-cm) julienne strips
1 small leek, white part only, cut in 1 1/2 in (4-cm) julienne strips
2 teaspoons very finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 1/2 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 large bowl to hold cabbage while soaking in water

Directions
Remove root end of cabbage without separating the leaves. Put all the salt in a large bowl and add 4 cups (1 liter) water. Stir to dissolve all the salt in bowl and water. Fit the cabbage into bowl adding water if necessary so it is covered. Place several heavy plates as weights on top of the cabbage and let sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Drain the cabbage and rinse under running water, and squeeze dry.

In a separate bowl, combine all other ingredients and mix well. Slightly separate the cabbage leaves and pack them well with the radish mixture. Pack well into glass jar and press firmly to remove air bubbles. Cover jar tightly. If you decide to cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces before adding chili paste that is fine. You can also cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces before soaking in brine water as well. It is just a matter of personal taste.

Once thoroughly mixed, fill the jars with the Kimchi and seal with lids. Allow the jar to sit in a dark room temperature area for 2-3 days. Following this early fermentation process place jar in the refrigerator and return to the fridge after each serving.
Important: Never use a reactive metal container to store kimchi; use porcelain or stainless steel. Plastic will be permanently stained by chili. Store kimchi in a cool, dark place - a fridge is best.