Kimchi, Two Ways
Introduction
With the current popularity of Napa cabbage kimchi in CA there are (too?) many recipes to choose from. There are recipes that use traditional sauerkraut methods but throw in some gochugaru (Korean chile flakes); there are recipes that use beef broth and fermented shrimp; there are recipes that ferment on the counter for weeks or only days; there are recipes that have fruit. Gah! How to choose. Previously I adapted a recipe in the Shockey book Fermented Vegetables. I threw in some unspecified amount of fish sauce to their basic kimchi and it’s been my go-to. This time I had a whole lot of Chinese cabbages bolting in the garden so I made two different recipes.
The first recipe is mak (rough) kimchi from The Kimchi Cookbook by Lauren Chun. It uses fish sauce and fermented shrimp (they look so gross) but not beef broth. The second recipe is baechu (Napa) kimchi from Ferment for Good by Sharon Flynn. Method-wise they are similar: a dry brine followed by the addition of chili paste and 3-5 days on the counter. The huge difference is in terms of the paste. Flynn’s recipe calls for vast quantities of ginger and garlic. Enough ginger and garlic that I questioned it. A pound of ginger vs. the more sedate 1 tb called for by Chun.
Getting Started: Ingredients, Tools, and Method
Each of these batches was made with 2 heads of Chinese Cabbage from my garden.
The cabbages were not Napa, were not tightly formed, were a bit green, and had bolted. Yay.
Step 1: Dry Brine
For each batch I did the following:
Cut the cabbage into squares and mixed with Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Chun: 1/4 c
Flynn: 5tbs
Let them sit and wilt overnight.
Rinsed each batch in the morning. The Flynn recipe did not mention it but I figured I would or it would be crazy salty.
Step 2: Add vegetables
For each batch I added grated carrots and 1 inch pieces of green onions.
Chun: 1/2 c carrots + 4 onions
Flynn: 1 c carrots + 1 cup onions
Step 3: Blend up a paste and mix in
Chun’s paste
Blend the following:
1/2 c sliced yellow onion
4 tsp chopped garlic
1 tb grated ginger
1 tb fermented shrimp
1 tb sugar
Then add:
1/2 c gochugaru
Flynn’s paste
20 (!) cloves garlic
500g (eek!!) ginger
1 c gochugaru
1/2 c fish sauce
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c tamari
For each batch I used my hands to coat the cabbage and vegetables with the paste and then put into jars with a cabbage leaf topper, glass weight, and silicone airlock lid.
Step 4: Ferment
I let each batch ferment at room temperature for 4 days and then put in a fridge set to 50F.
Results and Follow Up
Baechu Kimchi
2 weeks
Chun’s recipe came out perfectly. A sour edge with umami-fishy undertones. The right kind of fishiness - not icky pockets of fermented shrimp. The cabbage was bendy but not mushy.
Flynn’s recipe was certainly intense. A bit too much ginger up front (for my tastes) but it did taste great added to instant pork ramen.
5 weeks
Noooooo!
Well, here is the Chun recipe all moldy and sad. Perhaps a dirty spoon? Or 50F too warm? I’ve moved Flynn’s baechu to the regular refrigerator.
4 months
The baechu kimchi is still alive and kicking. I’m still not loving it on its own but rather mixed into ramen or added onto tacos. It’s now quite sour so definitely continuing to ferment in the normal temp fridge.
Check Out the Mak Kimchi (Chun) Redo here
