Classic Kim Chee

 A. Weaver || December 31, 2022


This common, hot and spicy Korean pickle, also known as kimchi, is a household staple in most Hawaiʻi fridges. From King's to Halm's, you can find a large variety of kim chee on your grocery store shelves. Many local food companies, like NOH Foods, sells a pre-made kim chee seasoning packet. We know the classic kim chee made with napa cabbage (won bok), however, kim chee is more expansive than many recognize. Today, we enjoy kim chee through a variety of different platforms, such as kim chee cumcumbers, daikon, and limu (seaweed). Kim chee is a classic side dish, paired next to Kalbi-style short ribs, shoyu chicken, and fried rice.


Classic Kim Chee

Recipe makes 1 quart. Total time 5 days (Prep: 30 minutes/ Fermentation: 5 days). 

Special Cookware: Quart-sized jar, disposable gloves, and a blender

Ingredients 

  • 5 green onions (white and green parts chopped into 1-inch pieces)
  • 5 tbs water
  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 tbs fish sauce
  • 3 tbs rice flour
  • 1 3-pound head napa cabbage (wok bok)
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1 3-inch piece ginger (peeled and finely grated)
  • 1-1/2 tbs gochugaru
  • 1 tbs shrimp paste
  • 3/4 cup Hawaiian salt or Kosher salt
  • 1/2 Asian pear (seeded and diced)

Directions

  1. Remove outer leaves of the cabbage that may be wilted or damaged. Cut the cabbage into quarters length-wise. Cut each quarter into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Rinse the cabbage under cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. Place cleaned cabbage into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Sprinkle salt all over the cabbage and massage. Let the cabbage stand for at least 30 minutes. Thoroughly rinse the cabbage in cold water, repeat, then let stand in a colander to drain.
  3. In a small sauce pan on medium-low heat, add both the water and rice flour. Continuously stir until the mixture thickens into a paste. Add additional flour if the mixture lacks thickness. Once the mixture thickens, place off the heat.
  4. To a blender add garlic, fish sauce, rice flour paste, white sugar, ginger, gochugaru, shrimp paste, and Asian pear. Blend until fully combined.
  5. Put on a pair of disposable gloves. This is to prevent your hands from becoming stained.
  6. To the large mixing bowl, pour 1/3 of the mixture to coat the bottom of the mixing bowl. Place half of the cabbage into the mixing bowl. Use your hands to coat and massage the mixture on each leaf of the cabbage. It is very important to thoroughly coat the cabbage. Add the remaining cabbage, green onions, and spice mixture. Mix everything with your hands making sure to evenly coat the cabbage.
  7. Transfer the mixture to a quart-sized jar, making sure to pack the cabbage tightly. Once the jar is filled, cover the top of the jar with a piece of plastic wrap followed with a tight-fitting lid.
  8. Store the kim chee in a cool, dark, and dry spot for at least two days. This will activate the fermentation process. Open the lid twice daily to "burp" the kim chee, once in the morning and once and night. This prevents the jar from filling with too much pressure. During the fermentation/ "burping" process, you will notice little bubbles forming when the jar's pressure is released. This ensures that your kim chee is alive and fermenting properly.
  9. After 2 days, transfer the jar into the refrigerator for an additional 3 days. This will slow down the fermentation process. This kim chee recipe will keep in the fridge for about a month.
**Please be advised: If you fail to "burp" the jar twice daily to release the gases, you run the risk of causing the jar to explode.

Hūlō
A. Weaver
Photos by A. Weaver






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