Best of 2012 – Number Seventeen
Recipe courtesy of Ho Shim Shaw
Photography by Chia Chong
Umma’s Kimchi
with Step By Step Directions
Ingredients:
- 2 heads of Nappa cabbage, cleaned and sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 ½ cups coarse sea salt, divided
- 6 cups of cold water
- 1 large Korean radish (called mu*) about 2 pounds
- 6 green onions
Hot pepper mixture:
- 1/3 cup white onion, pureed
- 1 1/2 Cup Korean pepper flakes (gochugaru*)
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup ground garlic
- 1/2 cup salted shrimp (sae-wu jut*)
- 1 cup anchovy extract (myulchi-aek jut*)
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 gallon sterilized glass jar or container with a tight fitting lid
*sold in Korean/Asian markets
Yield: recipe fills a one gallon jar
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 days 8 hours
DIRECTIONS:
STEP ONE : In an extra large mixing bowl dissolve 1 cup coarse sea salt into 6 cups of cold water and place cabbage halves in to soak.
STEP TWO: Sprinkle the remaining salt between the layers of the cabbage.
STEP THREE : Let cabbages sit in the salt water for about 6-7 hours (overnight).
STEP FOUR : Rinse cabbage in cold water to rinse off all salt and squeeze to drain. Allow to dry in the large bowl or colander.
STEP FIVE : Using a sharp knife, cut the radishes and green onions in to fine julienned pieces (Japanese mandolin can be used) and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
STEP SIX : Assemble the ingredients for the red pepper mixture.
STEP SEVEN : Add the mixture to the radishes and green onions and mix well (Umma says your hands are your best tool from here on out).
STEP EIGHT : Stuff the red pepper mixture in between the layers of the cabbage.
STEP NINE : Squeeze the cabbage together to make it narrow enough to stuff into a one gallon size sterilized jar. If the jar opening is too small, cut the halved cabbage into quarters.
STEP TEN : Cover and allow the kimchi to sit for one or two days at room-temperature then refrigerate. Your kimchi is actually ready to eat at this point, but allowing it to sit at room-temperature starts the fermentation process. Umma likes to eat her kimchi after only two days of fermentation. It’s a matter of personal taste.
