For those who don’t know what Kimchi is: Kimchi is Korean fermented vegetables and in our case fermented Chinese or also called nappa cabbage. Crisp cabbage leaves mixed with chili, garlic and ginger for a pungent aroma and earthy flavor. You can’t sit down at a Korean table without a bowl of kimchi waiting for you. Kimchi is a culinary traditions in Korea. Here is our vegan kimchi recipe to make yourself.
There are many variations of the classic kimchi, but the cabbage kimchi or paechu kimchi is arguably the most popular and well-known of them all. The list of health benefits attributed to kimchi is long. Here are just a few of the suspected benefits associated with eating kimchi: Kimchi heals an upset stomach, relieves a hangover, lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, and prevents constipation. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber, packed with healthy probiotic bacteria and iron, and packed with vitamins A and C. Kimchi is packed with beta-carotene and other antioxidants that may lower the risk of diseases like stroke, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Make your own kimchi at home
Many people would rather make their kimchi at home than buy it at the store. Is this a good idea? Come and let’s take a look.
Financially, it makes sense to make your own kimchi at home. Especially if you want to prepare larger quantities. There are such small jars with 200 to 300 g kimchi on the market and they cost around 5 euros. However, if you build a 2kg stash at home, the cost of the fairly cheap ingredients is a fraction of the kimchi you buy. Not bad. Also, most of the purchased glasses are not vegan and are made durable and sterile by heating. As a result, they no longer contain the good bacteria.
Many beginners worry about the bacteria and the fermentation process. It should be noted that fermenting kimchi incorrectly can create an environment for dangerous bacteria. But actually, with kimchi, it’s the fermentation itself that allows the healthy probiotic bacteria (lactobacilli) to grow, which alleviate digestive problems. The key to making kimchi is salt, similar to making sauerkraut. Soaking the cabbage to be fermented in a brine solution kills the bad bacteria and leaves only the good bacteria. The good bacteria convert the sugar into lactic acid, which gives kimchi its unique tangy flavor.
Tips for making kimchi
If you’re making your kimchi and storing it in a jar, make sure all of the veggies are submerged in the brine. In addition, the trade offers special glasses with ” weighting stones “.
Kimchi should also sit at room temperature for at least one to five days. Don’t be alarmed if you see bubbles in the jar – this is only part of the fermentation process.
Use iodized salt. Salt with iodine can inhibit fermentation.
Use mineral water or boiled tap water.
Use clean glasses, ie rinse glasses with boiling water before filling.
Once the fermentation process has started, do not use metal tools to access the vegetables.
If mold does form on the surface, you can remove it and continue to enjoy the kimchi.
What is kimchi made of?
Kimchi, or kimchee as it is also known, is a traditional Korean side dish made from fermented and salted Chinese cabbage and radishes. But let your imagination run wild and try mixing carrots, spring onions, cucumbers or other types of cabbage with kimchi.
How Long Should You Let Kimchi Ferment?
First, kimchi ferments in 3 to 5 days at room temperature and then you should leave it in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.
if you like our vegan kimchi recipe, you might also like these recipes:
- Kimbab / Gimbap – the Korean sushi
- Teriyaki Baked Japanese Eggplant
- Japanese soup with vegan dashi
- japanese vegan sushi flavored salad
- vegan tomato and bean salad with fresh peach
- more salad recipes…
vegan kimchi – recipe for at home
Equipment
Ingredients
- Chinese cabbage about 1.6 kg
- 120 G Sea-salt*
- 120 G white radish
- 6 spring onions
Kimchi Seasoning Paste:
- 2 kombu* about 10 x 20 cm piece (also called konbu)
- 2 tbsp. rice flour*
- 4 tbsp. Soy sauce*
- 4 clove of garlic
- 1 pear
- Ginger* walnut size
- 100 G gochugaru* Korean chilli flakes
- 4 tsp Sea-salt*
Instructions
- Halve the Chinese cabbage, cut lengthways into strips and then crossways into 2 to 3 cm wide pieces. Wash and drain cabbage. Mix in a large bowl with 120 g sea salt and leave for at least 2 hours (overnight in the fridge if you like). Stir occasionally.
- Then rinse the Chinese cabbage well with running water. Drain well.
- Konbu (or also called kombu) do not wash off! The white spots are normal and add flavor to our brew. So put on the algae with 400 ml of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Take out the seaweed and stir in the rice flour with a whisk. Bring to the boil again and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside and let cool.
- For the spice paste, peel and roughly chop the garlic. Peel the pear and ginger and also roughly cut into pieces.
- Finely puree the chilli flakes, pear, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and salt with the rice-algae porridge in your food processor or with a hand blender.
- Peel the radish and cut into julienne. Wash spring onions, shake dry and cut into fine rings.
- Mix the Chinese cabbage and vegetables with the spice paste. Pour the kimchi into preserving jars that have been rinsed with hot water. Compress the vegetables well so that the liquid covers the top of the vegetables. If you are missing liquid, stir up some salt water and use it.
- If you want a mild kimchi, 2 days are enough to let the kimchi infuse at room temperature. Cover it, for example with a plate or kitchen towel.
- Make sure the vegetables are always covered with liquid and squeeze the vegetables again if necessary.
- After two days, you can seal the kimchi and refrigerate. In the refrigerator, the fermentation process is slowed down and the kimchi stays fresh for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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