Kimchi

The Goods*:

1 large Nappa cabbage

1 head** garlic

1 small piece of fresh ginger

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup Sriracha chili sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried thai chilis

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 bunch green onions

1 medium daikon

1 tsp table sugar

Brine

2 kg (liters) water

100 grams kosher salt

Prepare the brine in a large container. Slice the cabbage in half lengthwise; then, slice each half into three pieces. Discard the hard portion near the base of the cabbage. Brine the sliced cabbage for 2 hours with a plate or other weight on top to keep the vegetables submerged.

Thinly slice the green onions (including the green portion). Grate the daikon on a box grater. Trim the skin from the ginger and finely mince it. Finely mince each clove of garlic from the head. In a mortar, grind the thai chilis. Combine the onions, daikon, ginger, garlic, thai chilis, Sriracha, red pepper flakes***, sugar, fish sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a large mixing bowl.

After the cabbage has finished brining, drain in a large colander. Wrap the cabbage in a paper town and squeeze out any residual liquid (a salad spinner could also be used). Add the cabbage to the mixing bowl containing the other ingredients. Mix by hand. Add the mixture to a large highly seal-able glass jar or other container. Store in a cool (room temperature is fine) dark place for two days. Check the cabbage after two days. If there are bubbles forming in the liquid space, then the fermentation is on. If not, give it one to two more days. After the fermentation begins, store the jar in the refrigerator. Apparently the shelf life of kimchi is three weeks before it becomes over-fermented.

The cabbage brines.

The non-cabbage ingredients.

Let the fermenting begin!

*Adapted from David Lebovitz.

**Yes, that is correct, not a clove, a whole head of garlic. Peeling and chopping each clove is kind of tedious, but definitely worth it.

***This preparation results in face-meltingly-hot kimchi. If face-meltingly-hot is not your jam, then I'd suggest paring down the hot ingredients.