My friend-in-law, Debbie (mother of the man who married my daughter) spent time recently in South Korea. One of the many thoughtful things she has done for me is to send me a Korean kimchi pot.

In honor of Debbie, another blonde, I made this kimchi.  But don’t be misled, it is hot and spicy!

This is awesome on scrambled eggs or a chicken salad. or some broth . .  or just by itself.  This is the first time I made a rice paste mixture to flavor the kimchi. So far, so good.

Vegetable mix:

3 small heads (16 C) of savoy or Napa cabbage, chopped large
8 carrots (3 C) peeled and sliced thin on the diagonal
5 C sliced leeks on the diagonal
1/2 red onion sliced thin
1/2 C sliced dried seaweed
6 T kosher salt

Mix all the above together, smush around and let set for at least an hour.  After which, rinse off the excess salt and drain.

Paste/spice:

1/2 apple
1/2 cup rough chopped garlic
1/2 white onion

Rice paste:

1/3 C cooked white rice
1/3  or more water  (add water as you need to puree in food processer)
1 inch ginger rough chopped
1/2 inch horseradish rough chopped
1 fat sardine with oil from tin
1 T fish sauce
5 T nanami togarashi or other pepper flake spice
1 T dried red pepper (or 1 T diced jalapeno/or other hot fresh pepper)

Mix the spice/ paste ingredients in a blender, juicer or food processor.

Then, mix the paste into the cabbage/veg mixture.  You may want to wear gloves.  Pack it into a kimchi pot or into mason jars.  This recipe makes about 3 quarts.

Weight down or push down to ensure kimchi is covered with liquid.  I used small plastic lids pushed down with synthetic wine corks (cut to size if needed).  Cover with a lid. . . but release gas 2-3 times a day–otherwise, you will have an explosion.  (Alternatively, buy some cool fermenting lids.)

Leave on your kitchen counter for 1-3 days, depending on how fizzy you like your kimchi.  After that, put in fridge.

It should last 6-12 months, if you can resist it that long.

Stay briny,

–Stacey