Quick Kimchi
In Korea, kimchi is an absolute staple. It's packed with 'good' bacteria and antioxidants - and is a fantastic way to use up any leftover vegetables from your weekly shop.
This Asian classic has gained popularity around the world for it's zingy flavour, but did you know you can make it using British veg?
Give this fermented fusion dish a try and never look back...
Ingredients:
- Assorted organic seasonal leafy vegetables (cabbage/chard/spinach/pak choi)
- 1 carrot cut into thin strips
- 3 spring onions or a leek cut into diagonal chunks
- Sea salt (2% w/v – 2g salt per 100g vegetables) crushed if in large crystals
For the marinating paste:
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 100ml water
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 apple grated
- ½ onion grated
- 10 cloves of garlic minced
- 50g korean red pepper powder
Method
Place your bowl on the scales. Chop the cabbage into slices and put them into the bowl. Keep the end of the cabbage as a weight to go in your jar at the end.
Add the other chopped vegetables and 2% fine salt with no additives (aka kosher salt). If you're using flakes make sure they’re crushed up.
Mix it all together with your hands to ensure even salt coverage and allow the veg water to flow. This takes approximately 20 mins but can take longer.
Meanwhile, make the marinating paste...
In a saucepan heat the rice flour, apple, ginger, garlic and water to make a thick paste.
Leave the paste to cool and then mix it through your wilted vegetables.
Transfer the mixture to a jar, pushing down the veg thoroughly to remove air pockets. Be careful to leave some space at the top as the kimchi produces a lot of carbon dioxide as part of it's fermenting process.
Leave the jar for 3-5 days on a worktop. Remember to 'burp' the mixture daily if you're using a kilner or normal glass jar. You do this by lifting the lid slightly to release the built up gas, and avoid a messy explosion!
Once the kimchi is ready, transfer it to the fridge. And enjoy!
Top tip – when you've munched through half of your jar, transfer the mixture to a smaller one to help it keep longer. It lasts for ages!
Nutritionist Gay Darke from our Food for Life team provided us with this recipe. See her in action here...