Sauces, conserves & preserves
Cheat's Kimchi
Developing this recipe has been more testing than usual. Many of the ingredients needed for a traditional kimchi are hard to come by in the organic world so we have used a little smoked paprika to ape the smoked Gochugaru chilli flakes traditionally used, and some miso to add savoury depth in place of fish sauce. Although this recipe is far from authentic, it really delivers that classic kimchi hit and it is vegan!. It makes a 1 litre jar.
Cook's notes
Make sure your jars are properly clean before you use them. Lots of hot, soapy water and a good rinse, followed by drying out in a low oven (140°C/Gas 1) for 10-15 mins, or a trip through a very hot dishwasher cycle. Burping is common practise when fermenting. It simply means to open the lid and close it again. It will release any gas build up in your jar and prevent an explosion. Although some jars with rubber seals will allow some gas to escape, not all of them will.
Ingredients
- 1 small pointed cabbage
- 1 kohlrabi or 1 bunch of radishes
- 2 tbsp fine sea salt
- spring onions
- 1 carrot
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp brown rice miso
- 40g sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes – optional
Method
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Step 1
Peel off a cabbage leaf and reserve for later.
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Step 2
Halve, core and thinly slice the cabbage. Take the leafy stalks off the kohlrabi and finely shred them. Peel the skin off the body of the kohlrabi. Cut into thin slices then shred into matchsticks (alternatively you can coarsely grate it). If you are using radishes, shred any leaves that are in good condition and thinly slice the radishes.
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Step 3
Place both the cabbage and kohlrabi/radishes into a large bowl and add 2 tbsp salt. Massage the salt in for 3-5 minutes. Leave the mixture for an hour.
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Step 4
While the cabbage salts, trim and slice the spring onions, keeping them fairly chunky. Peel and grate the carrot. Finely grate or crush the garlic.
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Step 5
Make the ‘kimchi’ paste by mixing the garlic, miso, sriracha, and paprika together until smooth in a small mixing bowl.
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Step 6
After an hour, drain the cabbage and kohlrabi in a colander over the sink. Rinse under cold running water briefly then give it a good shake in the colander to remove any excess water.
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Step 7
Return the cabbage and kohlrabi to the bowl. Mix in the spring onions, carrot and the kimchi paste. Work it together until everything is evenly mixed. Give it a taste - it’s now up to you to decide whether or not you wish to add the chilli flakes.
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Step 8
Firmly pack the mix along with its liquid into a sterile (see tips) clip-top 1 litre jar and place a cabbage leaf on the top to help keep it submerged. The liquid should cover the mix completely. If there is not enough liquid, make a 2% brine (2g salt mixed into every 100g/ml of water) and add enough to cover.
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Step 9
Keep at room temperature in a dark corner for a week, opening once a day to burp (see tips). It is a good idea to keep the jar on a tray or in a tub to catch any liquid that escapes from the jars during fermentation. It should have a distinct pickled taste and be ready to transfer to the fridge after a week, although you can leave it for longer for a deeper taste. Remove and discard the cabbage leaf once ready. It’ll store and be usable for a month or so and may need the occasional burp. You can decant into smaller sterile jars if you want to share your achievements.