SIMPLE VEGAN KIMCHI

Kimchi is the Asian equivalent of sauerkraut but has way more flavour, its spicy and delicious, flavoured with ginger, garlic and chilli pepper flakes but not for the faint hearted!!

Traditional kimchi involves an additional brining step which makes it a much longer process so I prefer this simpler but equally good method. You need to use Napa or Chinese cabbage, not the hard, white variety, which is used for sauerkraut.

A lot of traditional kimchi contains fish sauce and or shrimp, so my version uses seaweed flakes and tamari instead. 

This is also simpler in that its just chop, grate and mix everything in a bowl, no need to make a paste with the chilli powder, ginger and garlic then massage it into the pre brined cabbage.

I am all for simplifying recipes, so long as they still taste great and have the same level of nutrition!

You can adjust the amount of chilli if you prefer less spicy food! 

You can use either traditional Korean Gochugaru red chilli pepper powder or just standard hot chilli flakes. You can add a tablespoon paprika to give the authentic red colour, if you are just using chilli flakes.

The amount of chilli you add is entirely up to you, I would suggest anywhere between 1 to 5 tablespoons. The Korean chilli powder will list its spice level, which is very handy! Mine is medium hot so I add 2 tablespoons.
Try it before you pack the mix into your jars, and adjust spice level to your preference.
Bear in mind it won't become less spicy as it ferments so I would always err on the safe side and add less rather than more, but I am a chilli wimp! 

Kimchi, like most fermented foods is fairly addictive, it wakes up your taste buds, with its spicy, zingy, salty, sour flavours, so its a good thing its a fast ferment! If you eat it all then you only have to wait 3 to 5 days for your next batch to ferment.

Napa cabbage can be found in Asian supermarkets, along with daikon/mooli/white radish, although Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsburys usually stock it.

Kimchi is delicious on a wrap, sandwich, baked potato, with steamed or fried rice and greens, blended into dips, with salads, or just on its own!

It livens up any plate of food!

So what are you waiting for, go and buy a Napa cabbage and some chilli flakes and make some kimchi!


Ingredients

• 1 head of napa or Chinese cabbage, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1 large daikon radish, grated or a cup of small red radishes, finely sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup of dulse or nori seaweed flakes
• 1 tablespoon hot chile pepper flakes or 2/3 tablespoons Korean Gochugaru red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons good quality sea salt (Himalayan salt is good)
• 1 tablespoon tamari sauce 

Method

1. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes.
2. Squeeze and massage the mix together until you have brine dripping out when you squeeze it.
   
3. Pack the mixture into a large glass mason jar or 2 smaller jars. Press it down firmly. and leave a inch gap at the top of the jar.
4. Top with a water filled ziplock bag to keep oxygen out and keep the veggies submerged under the brine.
5. Clip the jar closed and set aside to ferment for  3  to 5 days. Put a bowl underneath it to catch any escaping brine. Taste it after 3 days and decide whether it tastes sour enough. It’s a matter of personal taste so just keep trying it until you like it! The longest I have left mine is 10 days, I forgot about it but it still tasted great. 
6. Once you are happy with the flavour you can store the kimchi in the fridge where it will continue to slowly mature. It keep happily for months, if it lasts that long!!