kimchi
Are you getting enough good bacteria (probiotics) for healthy digestion? Yes, it’s true, there is such thing as good bacteria to keep your body balanced. Processed foods, medicines and chemicals wreak havoc on our natural supply of this good bacteria in our guts. Integrating fermented foods, such as kombucha, yogurt, kefir, miso soup, sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi into your diet is necessary to help improve digestion, strengthen immunity, prevent diseases, and fight inflammation. This delicious kimchi recipe is derived from the “Vegan Eats World” cookbook.
ingredients
1 lb cabbage, napa cabbage, collards or kale cut into 2.5” bite-sized pieces
1 daikon or other radish, peeled and sliced into 1/4” thick rounds
1 seedless cucumber, cut into 3” long segments, then cut into 6 or 8 pieces
1/3 cup sea salt
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2" stem fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1/3 cup korean red pepper powder (gochugaru) or dried Aleppo pepper flakes
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1 tsp brown rice syrup or raw cane sugar, optional
1 carrot, peeled and julienned into matchstick slivers
Scallion, garlic scapes, or leeks, cut into thin segments, optional
method
Place the prepared cabbage, radish and cucumber into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle evenly with salt and rub it thoroughly into every surface of the leaves and vegetables. Let sit for 1 hour.
Process or mix the rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper powder, sesameseeds, and sweetener (if using) to make a thick paste.
Rinse the salted vegetables with cold water and drain well. Pat the veggies dry with a clean dishcloth, then place into a large bowl.
Add the carrot and scallion slivers, then the spicy paste. Massage the paste in evenly.
Transfer into 1 quart-sized glass canning jar (or a few smaller ones). Press down, to tightly pack it down. Clean the rim of the jar, seal and leave at room temperature to ferment overnight (or in colder weather for 2 nights).
You can always taste the kimchi a few hours after making it, but the flavors and all the good enzymes get better over time. Keep refrigerated.
