Kimchi

Ingredients

• 2 medium Chinese cabbages
• 4.8 litres warm water
• 1 cup Korean rock salt, plus extra
• ½ Korean radish, cut into julienne
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
• 6 tbsp Korean fish sauce
• 6 tbsp Korean anchovy sauce
• 2 small onions
• 2 tbsp fermented shrimp
• 12 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 banana chillies
• 2 bird’s-eye chillies
• 2 cups Korean chilli flakes or powder
• 8 tbsp sugar
• salt, to season
• ½ bunch shallots, sliced
• 1 bunch garlic chives, cut into matchstick lengths
• ½ minari (Korean watercress), picked, washed, cut into 5 cm pieces

Soaking time: 3–6 hours

Fermenting time: 6–12 hours

Instructions

1. Cut the cabbages into quarters, leaving the centre in. Wash well.
2. Mix the warm water with the rock salt until dissolved, to make a brine. Plunge each cabbage quarter in and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle extra rock salt between each layer of leaves and then pour the brine over. Soak for 3–6 hours, depending on the thickness of the cabbage.
4. Once the cabbage has become limp and slightly translucent, wash and squeeze out the liquid.
5. Meanwhile, sprinkle the radish with the sea salt and leave for 30 minutes. Once the radish is limp, wash and squeeze out the liquid.
6. In a pot, cook the rice flour and 400 ml water until it becomes a thick roux-like texture. Keep warm.
7. In a blender, add the fish sauce, anchovy sauce, onions, fermented shrimp, garlic, ginger, fresh chillies, chilli flakes or powder, sugar and the flour mix. Season to taste and blend until a smooth paste forms.
8. In bowl, mix the paste with the radish, shallots and chives. Add the minari. With this mix, rub well in between the cabbage leaves.
9. Place the cabbage into an airtight container, and ferment at room temperature for 6 hours in the summer and 12 hours in the winter.
10. Before adding to the fridge, make sure the cabbage is covered in liquid to prevent bad bacteria growing. This will keep for 6–12 months.