Easy Kimchi
Ingredients⠀
Half a red cabbage⠀
Half a white or Savoy cabbage⠀
2 large carrots, grated ⠀
1 green apple cored and very thinly sliced or grated ⠀
1 Red onion thinly sliced⠀
1 handful coriander leaves, chopped ⠀
1/2 to 1 tsp dried chilli flakes ⠀
3 garlic gloves, crushed ⠀
2 tablespoons fish sauce ⠀
2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated ⠀
juice of 1 lemon⠀
1 tsp sea salt⠀
1 sachet vegetable starter culture mixed with 2 tablespoons water, optional. (You can also use a probiotic capsule). ⠀
Method
Use a 1.5 litre perserving jar. Wash the jar in very hot water. Dry well. Or run them through a hot rinse cycle in the dishwasher. ⠀
Remove outer leaves of the cabbages. Wash. Shred the cabbages in a food processor or slice with a knife or mandoline, then transfer to a large glass or stainlesss steel bowl. Add the apple, carrot, chilli, ginger, fish sauce, onion, coriander, lemon juice and salt and mix well.⠀
Add the starter culture (if using) to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Using a large spoon, fill the prepared jar with the vegetable mixture, pressing down well to remove any air pockets and leaving 2 cm of room at the top. The vegetables should be completely submerged in the liquid. Add more water, if necessary.
Take the clean cabbage leaf and place it on top of the mixture, then add a small glass weight (a shot glass is ideal) to keep everything submerged. ⠀⠀
Close the lid, then wrap a tea towel around the side of the jar to block out the light. ⠀
Store the jar in a dark place with a temperature of 16-23°C for 24-72 hours. You may need longer if not using a starter. You can open the jar and taste it to see if it’s tangy and the vegetables soft. The longer you leave it, the higher the level of good bacteria and the tangier the flavour. ⠀
Chill before eating. Once opened, the kimchi will last for up to 2 months in the fridge when kept submerged in liquid. ⠀
👍 Cabbage has the correct bacteria already on the leaves. By using the cabbage leaf under the weight, below the surface of your ferment brine, the good probiotics will naturally infuse your ferment.
