Traditional Korean Kimchi: Gourmet Medicinal Cooking Collective Week 3: Probiotics & Gut Health!

As some of you may know, I lived one year in Korea with my parents. During that time I learned how to cook many dishes because I was a young lady and according to korean custom, a woman is praised if she knows how to make a good kimchi. Fortunately, I was at an age that the local women took me under their wing and taught me a few things. One of these was how to make traditional kimchi.

Short History Of Korean Kimchi

Korea is a mountainous with a few fertile plains. This makes food preservation during cold months a high priority. When early Koreans started an agricultural lifestyle, they ate salted vegetables to aid in the digestion of grains. The salting of vegetables turned into a preservation art. ^Source.

Although kimchi is a year-round food, the most common time to start the kimchi making process is during the fall, right before winter sets in. Napa cabbage is fresh and crispy and usually best during this time of year.

^{Ingredients For Traditional Korean Kimchi. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

For Salting Cabbage:

• 6 pounds napa cabbage ---> Adjust to household size
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt

For Porridge:

• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
• 2 tablespoons raw brown sugar

Vegetables:

• 2 cups Korean radish matchsticks
• 1 cup carrot matchsticks
• 7 to 8 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup chopped Asian chives
• 1 cup water Dropwort

Seasonings & Spices:

• 1/2 cup garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup fermented salted shrimp
• 2 cups hot pepper flakes

^{Preparing To Salt Your Cabbage. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

If the cabbage cores stick out too much, trim them off.

To split a cabbage in half without shredding the densely packed leaves inside, first cut a short slit in the base of the cabbage, enough to get a grip on either half, and then gently pull the halves apart so the cabbage splits open.

^{Cutting Your Cabbage. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Cut a slit through the core of each half, 2 inches above the stem. You want the cabbage leaves to be loose but still attached to the core.

^{Lay Your Cabbage in Quarters. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Dunk the halves in a large basin of water to get them wet. Sprinkle the salt between the leaves by lifting up every leaf and getting salt in there. Use more salt closer to the stems, where the leaves are thicker.

^{Salt Your Cabbage Thoroughly. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Let the cabbages rest for 2 hours. Turn over every 30 minutes, so they get well salted. From time to time you can ladle some of the salty water from the bottom of the basin over top of the cabbages if you want to.

^{After Salting, Cabbage Sits For 2 Hours. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

After 2 hours, wash the cabbage halves a few times under cold running water. Giving them a good washing, to remove the salt and any dirt. As you wash, split the halves into quarters along the slits you cut into earlier. Cut off the cores, and put them in a strainer over a basin so they can drain well.

^{Water Will Accumulate. Drain. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Thoroughly Rinsed & Salted Cabbage. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

While the cabbage is salting for 2 hours, and in between the times you’re turning it over, you can make the porridge:

Combine the water and the sweet rice flour in a small pot. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it starts to bubble. Add the sugar and cook 1 more minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and let it cool off completely.

^{Start Porridge Base With Sweet Rice Flour. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Next, Add Raw Sugar To Your Porridge Base. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Pour cooled porridge into a large mixing bowl. Add garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, fermented salted shrimp, and hot pepper flakes. Mix well with the wooden spoon until the mixture turns into a thin paste.

^{Add Minced Garlic To Your Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Minced Ginger To Your Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add 1 Onion To Your Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Fish Sauce To Your Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Salty Shrimp. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Korean Pepper To Your Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{After Step 1, Porridge. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

My suggestion would be if you like your kimchi to be less chunky then cut everything in smaller pieces, but do not blend or Cuisinart the vegetables. Shop everything by hand, although this takes much longer and it will taste better.

Add the radish, carrot, and green onion, plus the Asian chives (or more green onions) and the water Dropwort if you’re using them. Mix well.

^{Add Korean Radish. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Carrot. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Green Onions. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Asian Chives. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Add Dropwort. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Now Mix. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

A note of caution is that kimchi porridge stains everything, including your skin so wear gloves and an apron. If you have long hair pull it back away from the food.

^{After Mixing, Proper Texture. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Now it's time to bathe your cabbage in this porridge and be very careful since it can splat everywhere. Get close to the ends where the cabbage meets but do not break apart. Be gentle, yet firm.

Spread some kimchi paste on each cabbage leaf. When every leaf in a quarter is covered with paste, wrap it around itself into a small packet, and put into your jar, plastic container, or onggi.

Eat right away, or let it sit for a few days to ferment.

^{Fold Firmly, Place Into Container. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

Kimchi Facts:

• Promotes Digestion

• Regulates Cholesterol

• Antioxidant Properties

• Treats Atopic Dermatitis

• Weight Loss

• Anti-aging Properties

• Prevents Cancer

• Treats Diabetes

• Reduces Gastric Ulcers

^{Traditional Korean Kimchi, Packed In Firmly. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

^{Seal Properly, No Air. Leave Out Of Fridge 1-2 Days, Checking Daily For No Air Bubbles. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

On fermentation:

The kimchi will start fermenting a day or two at room temperature, depending on the temperature and humidity of your room. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from beneath.

Once it starts to fermented, store in the refrigerator to use as needed. This slows down the fermentation process, which will make the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.

^{Then Place Into Fridge. Stores Up To 2 years. Photo taken by Eagle Spirit}

This is my entry for the Medicinal Gourmet Cooking Collective challenge week 3, fermented foods for good gut health! I'm not sure who is holding this initiative but I found this great "gut health" share from @eco-alex here. Since, I've had issues with my gut during periods of my life, many different foods that include kimchi have overcome this battle. I'm sure you will find this recipe helpful and let me know if you try it.

As always, I love community engagement so please leave a comment below and I will be sure to respond.

Yours,

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. I’m a Certified Indian Blood member of the Hopi & Apache Native American tribes, Reiki Master-Teacher, Medicine woman in-training, paralegal, researcher, and writer based in the mountains of Colorado, USA. I work closely with fellow planktons and minnows in a few groups by helping them adjust to Steemit and curate quality content. I’m especially interested in finding others who love natural medicine originating from ancient practices, gold and silver, and energy work. Additionally, I'm the creator of #MedicineCardMonday and #FreedomFriday, so if you are interested in receiving Native American Medicine stop by my blog every Monday to say hello!

A'OO, Eagle Spirit