Going Korean Part 1: Kimchee

In college, my friends and I frequented a little Korean restaurant called Niwana. My pal Mary Anne even worked there for a few short weeks (Come to think of it, what happened there, Mare?). We loved the place. As we waited for our entrees, they would bring us these little appetizers free of charge, one of which was always a tiny bowl of kimchee. It always tasted weird to me, vaguely rotten, but it was free so I would always eat it. (Eating free food feels like winning.) Also, some days it tasted different from other days. It was curious. I ate on. When I finally learned it was kimchee? I don't know. When I finally learned how to make it? Three days ago.

I went back to Karen Solomon's jam it, pickle it, cure it--home of the homemade marshmallows success--as her recipe seemed 100% doable.

Jam It's version:

our version:

You start with an ungodly amount of cabbage.

But don't worry. It will shrink down when you pour an ungodly amount of salt on top.

2010 is the year of fermenting for Bon Appetempt. First with the fromage blanc, second with kombucha (to come), and now with kimchee. Basically, after you sprinkle the three heads of chopped up cabbage with a cup of salt and then rinse, you mix in chopped scallions, sliced garlic, minced ginger, and a cup of Korean dried chili flakes, which we couldn't find and which we substituted with the suggested 1/3 cup cayenne pepper. Then, you wait. For up to three days, tossing every twelve hours.

We let ours ferment for about 30 hours. And I don't know if it was the cayenne substitution or my lack of Korean heritage, but this kimchee was hotter than any kimchee I've ever had. Matt ate a lot, but for me, it was borderline inedible-spicy. And I still have one more jar. Any takers?? Seriously, it will be good for another month or so.

Next up: bibimbap. Or as Matt keeps saying: to be kimchinued...