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Traditional Korean Kimchi — 20 Comments

  1. Hi Ted, thanks for the great inspiration. I was wondering if you know why most of the kimchee available has msg and some have preservatives? I live in Hawaii where kimchee is popular, I am now making my own ferments and will try this one . I started using cauldwells starter, but now trying your recipes with brine. Have the brusell sprouts and radishes going now, and your lime pickles. I make lifer and kombucha also. Thanks, meriah

    • Hi Meriah, nice to hear you are fermenting so many goodies. Glad to be of help. As to MSG, it’s basically a flavor enhancer so manufacturers must think that their customers prefer it. Not this customer! I haven’t heard of pre-packaged kimchi having added preservatives, but it doesn’t surprise me. All I can honestly say is that a naturally fermented kimchi will last for many months (and perhaps years) when refrigerated, and it’s plenty tasty without MSG enhancement. Good luck and let us know if you have anything else you’d like to share that you discover in your fermenting adventures. Thanks.

      • I finally tried the korean kimchee. I seed a combination of recipes, and made a paste of the red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. I used broth made from konbuka to make the paste and as part of the liquid, to add some sea flavor (without the animals). And it turned out well. Thanks for your posts and answer. Meriah

  2. Hello Ted, Could you explain to me why the recipes I try printing leaves out so much information. Parts of the ingredient list as well as part of the directions. I really enjoy your website but it can be a pain to have to go back and fill in so many of your details. Thanks for all of the great information. Ruth/cannaholic

    • Sorry Ruth, just seeing this now.

      This is the first I’ve heard of someone having this problem. I’ll look into this. I’ve been researching technologies for the website which will allow for more features with the recipes. I’ll make sure that whatever I implement has a good printing option included. Thanks!

  3. I am just beginning to ferment. I usually can many different vegetables and fruit. Fermentation sounds very interesting and tasty.

  4. Just thought you might be interested in this from my Chinese daughter-in-law and her mum: Mum, Fen Gi, adds a couple WHOLE garlic cloves, and slices, not ground, ginger, as well as a couple whole cinnamon sticks, whole peppercorns, sliced hot peppers (I use jalapeños) and a few entire anise stars in with whatever other veggies you wish. They don’t refrigerate it; a 2 qt kimchi pot always sits on the counter, ready for use. Every morning for breakfast, no matter what else is served, there is always a bowl of stir-fried potatoes (cut into thin strips, about 1-1.2 inches long, 1/8 inch thick, rinsed of starch) with some yummy kimchi added in. I could fill up on this, it’s so delicious! Their juice has been working & added to for several years, passed from Grandma to Mum to daughter – to me!

  5. Just thought you might be interested in this from my Chinese daughter-in-law and her mum: Mum, Fen Gi, adds a couple WHOLE garlic cloves, and slices, not ground, ginger, as well as a couple whole cinnamon sticks, whole peppercorns, sliced hot peppers (I use jalapeños) and a few entire anise stars in with whatever other veggies you wish. They don’t refrigerate it; a 2 qt kimchi pot always sits on the counter, ready for use. Every morning for breakfast, no matter what else is served, there is always a bowl of stir-fried potatoes (cut into thin strips, about 1- 1.5 inches long, 1/8 inch thick, rinsed of starch) with some yummy kimchi added in. I could fill up on this, it’s so delicious! Their juice has been working & added to for several years, passed from Grandma to Mum to daughter – to me!

  6. Marina, that sounds amazingly delicious! And Ted, I love this site-so many great recipes. Definitely trying some of them out soon. ?

  7. I mix chopped salad shrimp with kimchi and roll it in egg roll wrappers and it makes a very tastey egg roll.
    It also spices up a lunch bowl of Raman noodles, instead of just the powder packaged spices.

    • I don’t necessarily wait for fermentation to cease, which would mean there is no more “food” in the ingredients for the bacteria to feed on. I simply wait until the taste is as I like it. Kimchi has more zing to it, I find in the earlier days of fermentation (4-7 days). Fermentation can continue longer, but will continue to get more and more sour.

  8. Hello Ted,

    With the Kimchi recipe, you dispose of the liquid after putting it in the strainer? Then when you put it in the vessel, you try and extract new liquid from the cabbage?

    Thanks for clarifying.

    Inge

  9. A vegan twist
    to add the oceanic funk…

    we added 1/4 cup of minced dulse
    (a la Sea Kraut)
    instead of the fish sauce.

    It’s a hit.

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