kimchi, anyone?

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a lovely afternoon chopping, grating and mashing various veggies to make a batch of kimchi. Do you know what that is? I didn't either until a year or so ago when I started seeing it around the blogosphere and then read about it in Nourishing Traditions. 

Just briefly - kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean dish and eaten everyday in Korean households. It's another of those healthy 'good' bacteria promoting foods that help keep the microflora in our gut balanced. 

I knew about sauerkraut, having enjoyed it since I was very young, but I must admit I was dubious about an Asian style sauerkraut! It all seemed a bit strange and probably spicy and too hot for me and, and, and ....... 

And then I tasted it!! Oh my! What a flavour explosion! I had to make some NOW! 

So with the expert guidance of my friend, we chopped, mashed, salted and packed a decent sized jar full of cabbage and other delights.  

Then I had to wait and wait at least a week she said...... but I could wait no longer, so on Day 6, I had a little taste ...... by Day 9 the jar was only half full ......and it was empty on Day 11. 

So here is a quick and simple recipe for my version of kimchi. Do give it a go - its healthy, delicious and so good for your insides!! 

Kimchi

1 head of chinese cabbage, wombok, I think it's called. 

4or 5 carrots

5 leaves of kale

a few cloves of garlic

a knob of ginger

a few pieces of your favourite type of seaweed - I used a Tasmanian type called 'ice float leaf' 

a dozen or so pepper-berries

4 tablespoons Himalayan salt

Chop the cabbage in whatever size you like. Mine was fairly fine but I've seen it done with whole cabbage leaves.  

Grate the carrots, and ginger.

Chop the kale, garlic and kelp if using. 

Put all the veggies in a big bowl with the berries and salt. 

Now comes the fun but tiring part - using a pestle or large ended rolling pin, start mashing your lovely fresh 'salad'. Smash and bash for a good long while..... this is helped if you have a friend to chat to!  

The idea is to get a good amount of liquid at the bottom of your bowl. The salt helps to bring out the moisture from the veg and all that liquid is important to cover them in the jar, so you need to mash them until you get a decent amount. 

When you feel tired have enough moisture, fill your jar to the top, screw the lid on - but not too tightly - and leave it in a cool place to do its healthy bacteria producing stuff! Its best to sit it in a bowl because the juices do tend to overflow a bit as its bubbling away. 

There you have it - one 1 and 1/2 litre jar of garlicky, gingery goodness! 

Of course, you can use any other combination of veggies but the basis does need to be the wombok. You could use more kale or none at all; as much garlic and ginger as you like; and/or add a grated daikon radish and some chilli flakes. Oh, and the pepperberries are a Tasmanian bush that grows wild in the highlands here.  

My friend warned me that it does smell a bit rotten as its fermenting, although I didn't think so, but don't worry, it will taste fantastic!

When we'd finished our mashing spree she let me taste another of her fermented treats that I'd been meaning to make for a while - beet kvass. I haven't made a batch yet but it's on my list of potential gut goodies!!! 

So what do you think? Would you try making it? Try eating it? 

Servus, wieder amall, meine lieben! 

Schon lang nix mehr von mir gehört oder

Ich hab aber daweil viel unternommen und etwas davon war dieser kimchi. 

Mein Rezept ist nicht ganz so wie das echte Koreanisches kimchi, aber dafür ist es ganz leicht zum herrichten. Und auch ganz lecker!

Ein kopf Chinakohl

4 oder 5 Karotten

5 Blätter Grünkohl 

Knoblauch und Ingwer nach Geschmack

Seetang Meeresalge 

4 Esslöffel salz

Kohl fein schneiden, Karotten reiben, 4 Knoblauch und ein gutes stuck Ingwer fein verhaken. Man kann auch eine weise Rettich dazu reiben und ein wenig Chilli.

  Das verhakte Gemüse in einer Schüssel geben, salz darüber und mit ein Stößel oder Nudelholz alles fest, ganz fest, zerdrücken. 

Nach einer weile sollte es etwas salz wasser geben in der Schüssel und das Gemüse ganz weich sein. Das Gemüse/salz Wasser muss über das Gemüse sitzen im glas.

Dann die ganze menge in ein 1 1/2 Liter glas Gefäß geben und schließen, aber nicht ganz fest!

Dann auf ein Teller, ihn die speis und warten...... ungefähr eins bis zwei wochen.

Und genießen!!!    

    

Natürlich, wenn man auf google schaut dann sind viele andere Rezepte, aber ich mach in so wie meine Freundin mir gezeigt hat..... und es ist so so gut!!

Bon Appetit!