Kimchi and fermentation
Last week I attended a two hour course on making kimchi - what fun. I tried a couple of times before to make fermented vegetables and really was not that confident. It was nice to do a course. This is done in the jar, so small quantities, which I like the idea of - I cant imagine how long it would take me to go through the amount of sauerkraut that one head of cabbage would make.
When I came home I found I had a few cucumbers in the fridge so set up some lacto fermented cucumbers.
Here is my kimchi:
When I came home I found I had a few cucumbers in the fridge so set up some lacto fermented cucumbers.
Here is my kimchi:
Yesterday was five days, so I gingerly opened the jar and took out the cabbage leaf plug, still held very securely underneath the liquid. It has very nice flavor and crunch. It is hot here, so fermentation is maybe faster than it would be in colder climates. I make water kefir and it is ready in two or three days.
The cucumber was tasty and about as crisp as other pickles I have tasted. We cannot get grape or oak leaves here, so I put in a black tea bag.
I have been looking online and researching other recipes. Does anyone else ferment? What is your favorite recipe?
I don't ferment but have been reading up on it and am anxious to try it. I'll be using your tip of adding a black tea bag as I don't have access to either grape or oak leaves.
ReplyDeleteI used to make Kimchi years ago and we loved it. Should pick up the ingredients to make some. If I remember correctly, I used Chinese cabbage, cukes, lots of garlic. MSG and salt. A bit of sugar to start the fermation. I used to make it in a gallon size container and would put it in the fridge and turn it every so often to make sure all the ingredients would get plenty of the liquid. Oh my gosh! I can taste it now. So good. Thanks for this post for sure.
ReplyDelete