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vegan napa kimchi
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Vegan Korean Kimchi

Cuisine Korean, oriental
Prep Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • medium coarse sea salt
  • 1-2 Chinese napa cabbages

Kimchi Paste

  • 2cm piece fresh ginger root
  • 3-6 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 tbsp Korean chilli flakes or Mexican Guajillo or Kashmiri chilli
  • 2 carrots, peeled, topped, tailed and finely julienned into matchsticks
  • 1 daikon or mooli (Asian radish) peeled, topped, tailed and finely julienned into matchsticks
  • OR 1 large white turnip peeled, topped, tailed and finely julienned into matchsticks
  • 2-3 scallions or Asian chives, sliced

Rice Gruel (optional)

  • 1 heaped tablespoon of rice flour millet and corn also work well
  • 1/2 teacup water

Seasoning And Other Condiments

  • light soy sauce to taste
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar, honey or other sweeteners such as rice or agave syrup (optional)
  • 1 tbsp sweet white miso or the left over juice from your previous kimchi (optional)

Instructions

Salt the Napa cabbage

  • Prepare a strong brine so an egg will float exposing an area the size of a Euro above the water line
  • Wash and slice the nappa cabbage(es) and immerse in the brine for at least 3 hours
  • Rinse away most off the salt from the cabbage and shake dry 

Meanwhile make the rice porrridge

  • Mix the flour and water until smooth, put in a small saucepan and cook until thickened. The gruel should be fairly thin. Allow to cool

Make the kimchi paste

  • In a blender, chopper or mortar and pestle work the garlic and ginger into a paste. Add the chilli, soy sauce, sweetener and optional miso or juice from the previous kimchi, then mix in the rice gruel.

Mix, bottle and ferment your kimchi

  • Toss the vegetable matchsticks and scallions / chives into the kimchi paste , coating well
  • Add the cabbage and mix well with your hands until well coated with kimchi paste
  • Put the kimchi into sterilized glass or food-safe plastic containers, packing it in so there are no air pockets
    bottled kimchis and saurkrauts
  • Leave overnight at 12-16 degrees C or until fermentation has just started, then remove to the fridge. The kimchi is ready to eat right away. It's flavour it will improve after a week. It will keep for up to 3 months