Kimchi
Fermented foods are a great way to boost the healthy bacteria in yourmicrobiome, generally with a far wider variety than off the shelf probiotics. It canbe such a versatile and easy addition to salads or main meals.
The process for making fermented dishes tends to be the same. You use aquantity of salt that is 2% of the equivalent weight of the raw ingredients.
Once you have got used to the process you can make fermented foods with a widevariety of vegetables and flavouring. It is important that your vegetables and equipment are clean when preparing kimchi and sterilise your jars first to allow them time to cool down before placing the kimich in the jars.
Method
Remove the outer most leaves of the Chinese leaf and keep to one side. Weight the Chinese Leaf and keep a note. Wash your carrots, weight them and keep a note. The weight of the 2 x Chinese Leaf and the carrots is the total weight you need to work out the correct salt weight of 2%
Removed the base from the Chinese leaf. Lengthways, cut them in half and half again, so they are in quarters. Then slice them in 1.5cm -2.0cm slices. Add it all to a large clean bowl.
As long as the carrots are clean, you do not need peel them. Remove the tip and grate the carrot. Keep the top on the carrot as something to hold on to when you get to the end of grating the carrot. Add the grated carrot to the bowl
Use the total weight of Chinese Leaf and Carrots to work out how much salt to add. (This recipe 800g + 200g = 1000g, therefore 20g of Salt)
Pour the salt over the Chinese Leaf and Carrots and mix it all together. Leave to stand for at least 15 minutes
After 15 minutes start to squeeze the Chinese Leaf and Carrots. When they are ready, you will be able to squeeze out liquid. You want to squeeze out as much as you can (see the images). If the liquid is not flowing, add another couple of grams of salt, wait 5 minutes and try again.
Once you have squeezed out what you can and the Chinese leaf and carrots have reduced in volume, pour out the kimchi liquid which has gathered at the bottom and keep for now.
Add the gochujang paste, spring onions, garlic, ginger to the Chinese Leaf and Carrot and stir it through thoroughly.
Spoon this into your sterilised jar / jars, dependent on what size you are using. Press it all down in the jars, at which point more liquid will rise to the surface. Do not overfill the jars at it will expand as it ferments.
The kimchi needs to be submerged below liquid. Using the spare leaves that you put to the side, use the thick parts, cut them to lengths about the width of the jar and slide them into the top of the jar, pushing down the kimchi. It must be submerged below the liquid in the jar. If need be, use some of the reserved kimchi liquid to top up so that it is all submerged.
To help keep it all under the liquid, you can use the remaining ½ carrot as a plunger to sit on top of the outer leaves, cut it to the right length to fit snuggly into the lid of your jar. Place away from direct sunlight, but somewhere accessible so you can keep an eye on its progress.
If you are use Kilner jars or similar, remove the rubber ring for now. This will allow the air to escape easily during the initial fermentation period.
‘Burping’ your kimchi – if you are using jars that have air-tight lids, you will need to release the lid gently morning and night to allow the air created by the fermentation to escape.
The initial fermentation process will take 3 to 6 days, dependent on temperature and a whole host of variables. Once the air has stopped building up when you burp it, or there are much few bubbles forming if the mixture is gentle pushed with a clean spoon, then it is ready to be stored in the fridge. If you have Kilner jars or similar, replace the rubber seal before it goes in the fridge.
Kimchi gets stronger in ‘tang’ the longer it is kept and is best eaten within 3 months. It is unlikely, but if you find any mould, bad smells or it becomes slimy throw it away
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