For the Love of Kimchi!

All the stars are aligned. I have heard so much about Kimchi, a Korean dish of spicy fermented cabbage, and I can't wait to learn more! According to lifeinkorea.com, kimchi is served at almost every meal in Korea. This article from NY Times profiles a mobile taco stand that features a tofu-chili taco with kimchi. This weekend I am hoping to try out a kimchi recipe I found in the Top Chef Cookbook. Typically, as I learned from Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, kimchi typically is fermented with raw oysters in large urns buried in the ground for a three weeks, this recipe only takes three days! Here is the recipe for those who are just as curious as me!

1 head napa cabbage

1 medium daikon radish

1/2 cup salt

3 scallions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons fresh ginger

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes or kimchi spice mix

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Separate the cabbage into leaves. Peel the daikon and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a large bowl, layer the cabbage and daikon slices, sprinkling salt in between each layer, using about 1/2-cup salt total. Add water to cover 1 inch and place a heavy plate on top of the leaves. Set aside overnight.

2. The next day, remove the plate and drain the vegetables. Rinse well under running water and drain. Cut the cabbage into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1-cup water. Mix gently.

3. Transfer the vegetable mixture and liquid to a large crock. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3 days, stirring once a day.

The photo comes from lifeinkorea.com

The NY Times article is from nytimes.com